


Proven Useful

by RKG



Category: Tangled (2010)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-03 10:44:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13339593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKG/pseuds/RKG
Summary: Back from a long battle, an injured Cassandra meets a familiar stranger...





	1. Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> There are not really that many Cassandra/Varian fics out there, not even AU fics where he's legal n' all, so I decided to make my own. :) In this one, Varian is 18 and Cas is, around 26. (And before anyone says anything, Rapunzel and Eugene were around those ages when they hooked up so.. :P )

The war had been long, and hard... but finally, the kingdom was safe, and they were on their way homeward. Cassandra had seen things, terrible things, things a lady of the court should probably never see, but as a member of the guard she endured. She didn't really think of herself as a lady anymore after the things she had gone through. Even though Rapunzel would be glad to have her back as her Lady in Waiting, in fact.. it'd be nice to attend to her old duties again. Now if only that flaming arrow wasn't headed straight for her.

"Oh sh--"

She swerved out of the way quickly, the flaming arrow whizzed past her poor horse's neck, catching her squarely in the shoulder. She screamed which caused her poor, already frightened horse to spook more. 

Everything else was a blur of sharp rocks and pain as she fell straight down a ravine.

~*~*~*~

"We're so sorry, Princess." said Stan. "We looked all over, but we just couldn't find her."

Rapunzel sobbed over the loss of her best friend.

She had just gotten a letter from her a week ago! She was on her way back, she was supposed to be Maid of Honor at her wedding! Of course, it was probably a strange request for a decorated war hero to play, but the enthusiasm was clear in her letters. " _I'd win the war just to smash Rider's face in a wedding cake any day_!" it was a new fad in Corona, after the nuptials, the maid of honor got to smash the groom's face into a cake. As much as she loved Eugene, she had to admit watching Cassandra smash his face into a cake would be really funny.

But now that couldn't happen... possibly ever.

Eugene hugged his bride-to-be, "I tell you what, Blondie, if the guards'll oblige me, I'll go out looking with them again tomorrow."

Pete visibly blanched and shook his head. "It's kind of useless... it was a straight drop."

Cassandra, her best friend and decorated war hero, had gone off the side of a sheer mountain after a flaming arrow hit her in the shoulder... a straight drop, no friendly mound of anything to catch her fall. Imagining her at the bottom of the mountain caused Rapunzel's insides to flip... she fainted.

"NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE GONE AND DONE!" cried Eugene, catching his Princess before she took a straight drop onto the marble floor beneath her.

~*~*~*~

Cassandra awoke what seemed like hours, no, _ages_ later. Her helmet was gone, as was her horse... she still had her weapons on her, thankfully. She gingerly tried to move but every bone in her body hurt. She was pretty sure if she hadn't had on armor she would've sustained a lot more damage. She ventured a look at her arm... oh this was bad. The metal from her armor had melted from the flame and now she could see the thin white shirt underneath.

" _Wait, I'm pretty sure my shirt was brown_..."

She was seeing _bone_.

The pain didn't even hit her until that very moment, white-hot and searing, she did something she hadn't even done on the battlefield and screamed. Mostly in anger at herself because she hadn't stayed on the horse and had fallen down a ravine like an idiot, but there was a bigger part of her that wanted to cry like a baby because she had been going home to be with her best friend and now she was going to die at the bottom of a mountain instead. She cried out of sheer frustration, she fought a successful war and saved many men's lives and now one stupid, flipping, flaming arrow thought it had the right to claim her?!

How was this fair?!

It wasn't!

She reached over and tried to rip the arrow out but that only caused more pain.

The other guards couldn't have gone very far, they were probably still within hearing range, with the last of her strength Cassandra cried out, "HELP MEEEE!!!!" to anyone or anything who would listen. Maybe it wasn't the wisest decision but it would beat dying at the bottom of this god-forsaken mountain. "Please..." she whispered, before everything faded to black.

~*~*~*~

"HELP MEEEE!!!!" 

Varian was making his way down the mountain when he heard someone's anguished cry for help. Of course he could ignore it, like he ignored a lot of people nowadays, but something about this cry was oddly... familiar? He had to at least see who it was.

He smelled a strange smell, like burnt feathers, and saw a trail of blood.

"What on earth...?"

There was a helmet hanging off the edge of a precipice, one of the Royal Guards' helmets. He hesitated for a split second, but then... there didn't seem to be anyone else around, so, why should he? He picked up the helmet and continued following the ominous trail, steeling himself for whatever he was about to see.

There, at the bottom of the mountain lay a crumpled heap of a girl--no, woman--in armor, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Cassandra?!"

Quickly, he fashioned his cape into a makeshift parachute and leapt the rest of the way down, making his way over to her.

"Cassandra!"

He noticed how the metal of her armor was destroyed around her left shoulder and just how much blood she seemed to be losing, there was an arrow that had once been flaming sticking out of her.

"Cassandra, d-don't worry, just stay with me, I'll help you!" with that, he gathered her up on his shoulders and began making his way back up the mountain.

~*~*~*~

Blood... pain... fire... more pain. 

"Owww..."

The world flickered in and out, she wasn't at the bottom of the mountain anymore, she wasn't sure where she was, but it was warm and... soft? Was she on a bed?

"Nnngh..."

"Don't move." came a gentle voice. "Not yet... it's okay. Just lie still."

"Wh-What's g-going o-on...?" she croaked, barely recognizing the voice as her own.

"You're hurt, Cassandra. Hold still."

Despite her best efforts, she whimpered, the pain was unbearable.

"Here you go." suddenly she felt a cooling sensation on the ever burning wound in her arm, it was such a relief that she audibly gasped.

"It's okay, Cassie." said the voice. "It's okay."

Whoever it was stroked her cheek, she nestled into their touch, venturing to open her eyes. Everything was blurry. Wherever she was, it was dark, it was lit by several... candles? No, lanterns... and there seemed to be a work table in the corner. Whoever was helping her had black hair with a silver streak, with really kind blue eyes... wait...

"Varian...?"

"Hey." the young alchemist smiled down at her. 

She tried to sit up but instantly regretted that decision, her shoulder erupted into pain again.

"Hey, hey, let me help you."

He helped prop her up with some really soft pillows.

"Thanks, kid..." she said softly, glancing at her shoulder and instantly paling.

"I'm not finished yet." he assured her. "It looks bad right now, but I managed to stop the bleeding."

"Th-Thanks, I-I think?"

"Hold still... I'm making the second part."

She bit her lip, watching the young alchemist mix two vials together.

"I-Is that safe?!" she cried.

"Perfectly." he said non-chalantly. Normally she would've had a lot of misgivings about trusting him but he was able to stop the blinding pain and right now he was all the chance she had.

"Here we go..." he dropped two drops of the now mixed liquid onto the wound, she watched in amazement as the arrow evaporated. "More effective than pulling it out, less painful than pushing it through." he said simply.

"I... thank you.." she faltered.

"No problem, Cassie." he said softly, smiling down at her.

His face was the last thing she saw before slipping into back into unconsciousness.


	2. Wild Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra is not the best patient, and Eugene and Rapunzel talk about things.

"Blondie, you scared me half to death!" came Eugene's voice as the world came back into focus.

"Eugene, tell me I'm awake."

"You are now, sweetheart." he said softly.

"Tell me I dreamed that Stan came in here and told me Cassandra was dead." sniffled the heartbroken Princess.

"I... I wish I could."

"But... she was supposed to be in the wedding!" wailed Rapunzel.

"I know." he said softly.

"Sh-She was supposed to help me get ready! And do all the bride-to-be things with me a-and..." she trailed off, starting to sob again. She couldn't believe she would never again see her best friend.

"Your Aunt Willow sent word that she'll... stand in." said Eugene gently.

She smiled softly. "Tell her thank you..."

But it still wouldn't be the same. Nothing would ever be the same. 

"W-Where are Mom and Dad...?"

"Your Dad had to break the news to the Captain... I don't think he's taking it real well."

"I guess not. Cas was all the family he had."

Eugene nodded sadly. "I... know how he feels."

"Oh, Eugene..."

She wondered if Cassandra's death had brought back any bad memories for him.

"It's okay Blondie, I'm fine. Today isn't about me. Today is about making sure the love of my life is okay."

"I'm not..." she said brokenly. "I won't be."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, Rapunzel."

Suddenly the Queen burst into the room, rushing over to join the hug. "Oh, my baby..."

Eugene stepped aside, letting the two hug it out. It was a shock, that was for sure. He thought he would be getting a snoot full of cake from Cassandra the moment he said "I do" but now...

" _This is fishy_..." he thought to himself. " _Angry Viper Women shouldn't be that easy to kill, in fact, I know they aren't_." and there was no body, no body meant that there could be a chance that somewhere, was a very injured, very angry, crazy Dragon Lady ready to rise from the ashes to smite them all. Which meant, someone needed to find her.

"I'll be back in a little while, Blondie!" he called over his shoulder.

He was going to pay his friend Lance, a visit. It had been awhile since they had gone on a secret mission together.

~*~*~*~

When Cassandra awoke, the blinding pain had gone, but her reasoning had returned.

She had gotten hit with a flaming arrow, and fallen off the side of a mountain. Then she had woken up in the... where on earth was she exactly? Everything was sharply in focus now, she noticed the work table in the corner lit up by lanterns... oh, she was in Varian's lab.

" _Varian's lab_?!"

For a moment, fear gripped her and she leapt off the bed ready to stroll out the door, but then reality--and pain--set in and she doubled over back on the bed.

"Cas, you really shoudn't be up!" cried the alchemist, rushing over to her to help steady her.

"Get your hands off me!" she cried, pushing herself back up onto the bed as best as she could. "What did you put in that potion to make me pass out?!" she demanded.

"Nothing!" he held up his hands in surrender. "Promise! You passed out because of blood loss."

"I... really?" her voice came in an unfamiliar squeak. 

"Cas, you fell off Mount Saison, I'm surprised I found you alive. In fact for awhile there, I didn't think you were."

She bit her lip. "Was I not breathing?"

"Thankfully not that far gone, but just about..." he said sadly. He decided he wouldn't tell her for now, just how far he'd had to go to bring her back. Maybe later. After all, there was a time and a place for everything and right now was not the time nor the place to tell this frightened creature how dangerously close her heart had come to stopping.

No wonder he kept it dark in there, without much light it was hard to read his expression and she couldn't tell if he was hiding anything from her or not but she had a feeling he was. 

"So... how long am I laid up for?"

"Well, I'm no doctor, but I'd say at least six weeks."

"Six weeks?!" she cried. "No, no, NO!"

"Cas, don't get up--!"

"I have to, I have--OW!!" she screamed in anguish as he held her. "I have a wedding to get to!"

"A wedding...?" asked Varian.

" _Of course she's getting married, you'd think a girl like her would stay single forever_?!" cried a voice in his head.

"Rapunzel's wedding! I was supposed to dash Rider's face in a cake and I'm not missing it! Let me UP!"

Oh the ROYAL wedding, well, that made a bit more sense. 

"Cassandra, you can't make it up the mountain right now, you're in no condition!"

"Oh I took a fall, big deal! I've dragged worse off a battlefield."

" _So have I_." thought Varian, but said nothing. 

"Now, you're going to help me to the Palace!"

"Fine, but we'll have to wait 'till daylight. It's night time now."

"Night... wait.. how long was I out?"

"About a day and a half, give or take." he shrugged. "Cassandra, you really need to rest."

"Rapunzel's wedding is in a WEEK, I need to be with my best friend!" she protested, struggling, she didn't realize just how strong this kid had gotten. " _Kid must've started chewing some vitamins along the way._ " she thought as he gently plopped her back on the bed.

"Cas, I promise I'll do my best to get you to the wedding." he said earnestly. "But you gotta rest, if you start bleeding internally, I can't save you. The town doctor... well..." he sighed. "There is no town doctor here. Not this side of the mountain anyway." he didn't dare tell her that he had unofficially taken over the position when the town doctor went crackers during the war.

"Great, so I'm stuck with a mad scientist."

"Touche."

"You have to admit, you walked right into that one." she grumbled. "Fine, I'll rest. Wait... wh-where is my armor?"

"Over there."

"How did it get off my body?"

"I... had to remove it, I'm sorry, Cassandra, it was the only way I could work on your arm."

Well, it was just armor, it wasn't like he had removed any clothing. She suddenly noticed that her shirt was hanging up, she was wearing a different, much larger shirt.

"HOW IS MY SHIRT HANGING UP?!"

"Ruddiger did that!!!" he assured her. "I wasn't even in the room!"

"If I find out you've lied to me--"

"I-I would never! Not about something like that!"

he sputtered.

"You better not, kid." she threatened. "Or I will toss YOU off this mountain!"

"Noted!" he squeaked. 

Cas turned her back towards him. "I'm going to nap now, and you better not watch me while I sleep." 

"Don't worry, I-I'll be reading."

"Turn around."

"Sure thing!"

Varian turned in the opposite direction of his new charge and began furiously reading an alchemy volume, suddenly the print on the page was very interesting.


	3. The search for the angry viper woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene is on the hunt for the mythical angry viper woman... and a certain alchemist and his wild caught Cassandra grow a little closer.
> 
> SO SECRET OF THE SUNDROP HAPPENED AND... YEAH.

"Lance, my man, I need your help." said Eugene.

"With what?"

"Finding the perfect wedding gift."

"You mean, your stunning physique isn't enough?"

Eugene rolled his eyes, "Har, har. Very funny. No, seriously, you heard about Cassandra, right?"

"The Head of Guard's daughter that went over the edge of Mount Saison?" he winced "Yeah... ouch."

"Yeah, well, she's my bride's best friend, and what better way to surprise her than to bring her back for the wedding?"

Lance shook his head. "Eugene, I tell you, bringing home somebody's best friend in a box isn't gonna score you any points on the honeymoon."

"Listen to me, Lance." said Eugene seriously. "Don't you think it's a little too convenient that she disappeared _that_ easily? And there's no body?"

Lance thought for a moment. "I'm listening."

"I'm saying, for someone that just fought--and won--a successful war campaign, she survived for 3 years before now and a single flaming arrow takes her out? Come on man, she survived CANONS! Canons!!!"

"You're right, that is fishy." 

"That's why we have to find her, Lance. I got a feeling that she may not be dead after all." 

"Alright my man, you saddle up Max and I'll follow."

"I knew I could count on you."

"You know you're getting a face full of cake on your wedding day, right?"

"I'd rather have a face full of cake than have to attend a funeral."

"Atta boy, taking one for the team."

~*~*~*~

That night, Cassandra awoke to a strange howling noise, with no small amount of pain she rolled over to see Varian asleep with his head on his work table, Ruddiger was sleepily perched on his shoulders but not for long, whatever dream Varian was having caused him to jerk suddenly. The raccoon spooked and sped over to the bed where Cassandra was, this time he perched on one the headboard and chittered at Varian scoldingly.

"N-No... I... I can... I can save you... J-Just let me..."

Cassandra suddenly felt bad, who on earth was he talking to?

"I... I promise it'll work... this time..."

He twitched and uttered a strangled cry, almost like a sob.

"N-No... please.. NO!" 

"Varian!" she hissed.

The Alchemist startled awake. "Oh... oh... s-sorry." he slurred. "I wasn't having the feather duster dream again, was I?"

"The what?"

"Nothing. Nevermind." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"You didn't say anything about a feather duster." said Cassandra. 

"Oh... _Oh_..."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream."

"Who doesn't have those nowadays?" she muttered, turning to fix her pillow. "Wait, where are you sleeping?"

"Uhhhh... right here." he pointed to the chair he was sitting in at his worktable. 

"Wait, you gave me your bed?"

"Do you see any other ones?" he shrugged.

"No..."

"It's okay, I fall asleep here a lot, actually." he said cheerfully.

"Kid, I can't take your bed, I--" she started to move but thought better of it.

"You need it more, Cas." he said kindly, smiling at her. "It's okay."

"Just for tonight." she mumbled wearily. "Tomorrow, we find other arrangements."

"Alright." he agreed, though he really doubted she would be up for it.

"Try counting sheep, it always helps my nightmares." she suggested. 

"Th-Thanks." though, he really doubted counting sheep would help this kind of nightmare. He wished he could stop dreaming about all the people he couldn't save during the war. There were so many... and a few nights a week they always came back to haunt him, of course tonight they were accompanied by the one he felt most terrible about...

His Dad.

~*~*~*~

Willow held Rapunzel's train while the royal dressmaker fussed over her. In all her born days she had never seen a more haunted, miserable bride. Although, granted, it wasn't every day that a bride had to attend her best friend's memorial service right before her wedding.

"You know... I lost my best friend too." she said softly.

"R-Really?"

"Yes... Lady Emmaline. She went to help some plague victims and got sick herself."

"Oh no..."

"It was many years ago, Rapunzel, but I do know what you're going through." said Willow.

Rapunzel shook her head. "This is so unfair... she survived all those battles... only to die like this? It's not fair!"

"No, no it's not..." agreed Willow.

"What did you do when your friend died?" asked Rapunzel, gazing at her brokenly.

"In her honor, I gave her Mother one of the royal swans--much to my own Mother's dismay. But, that swan lived the rest of it's life in the lap of luxury!"

"I don't think our head of Guard needs any swans..." said Rapunzel sadly. 

"No, but you could definitely do something in her honor." said Arianna, who had just entered the room.

"True... but what?"

"You'll think of something." said Willow, smiling at her niece as she gazed in the mirror at her wedding dress.


	4. Stockholm Syndrome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah okay I couldn't think of a better title, even though it doesn't really apply here. Sorry peeps! Also.. Varian has some cool inventions but they probably wouldn't be all the logical in real life so don't climb on me for that. :P

"Breakfast in bed?" asked Varian the next morning. He had brought her a tray of things.

"Thanks, kid." she eyed the food skeptically. "This isn't laced with anything, right?"

He shook his head. "No... and if you want proof, look at Ruddiger. He ate the same thing."

Ruddiger was preening himself and looking very healthy.

"Alright then, I suppose I don't have a choice right now..." she muttered, observing what was on the tray. There were some muffins, and... was that butter? Yes! Butter! It'd been so long since she had had actual butter that she wanted to cry, but no, she was a soldier and that was stupid. She quickly picked up a muffin and began slathering it in butter.

"Glad your appetite is back." he said softly.

"You don't get butter on the battlefield! Mmm!" her tastebuds sang, it was almost as good as the stuff they had at the palace.

"Butter on the battlefield... sounds like the beginning of a tongue twister." he joked.

"More like a torture device. Mmmm!" she devoured a few more muffins, not realizing how hungry she actually was. "Thanks, kid! That really hit the spot."

"Your welcome, Cassandra." 

"Did you make those?"

"Yeah." 

"Did you make the butter too?"

"That, I had a little bit of help with." he grinned, pointing to something that looked like a churn in the corner. "It's a little something I like to call the automatic churn."

She blinked. "Automatic churn?"

"Yeah... you filled it with milk and a little salt, press the button on top and it does all the work."

"How does it work?"

"Steam power. And the steam also keeps it at the correct temperature so it won't spoil."

"Huh... that's... really amazing, kid."

"Glad you think so."

Another time, another place, he would've taken that compliment and ran with it, but now she couldn't help but notice that he had a constant air of resignation and humility about him. It made her slightly uncomfortable.

"I can't wait to get out of here." she sighed.

"I know."

"Of course, by the time I'm up and at 'em, Raps'll already be back from her honeymoon." she scowled at her shoulder.

"I can try to get you back sooner..." Varian offered. "But it all depends on you. Can you stand?"

"I think." she shrugged. "You want me to try?"

"Only if it doesn't hurt."

Cassandra swung her legs off the bed, she blushed a bit because even though the shirt was a big big on her, it hit her about mid-thigh, very scandalous for a lady of the court. 

Varian blushed and averted his eyes. "Sorry, I-I didn't have anything else." 

"It's alright, kid." she said gruffly. Of course living in the barrack tents all that time she had been more exposed--but something about being in front of him made her remember her station. Using her good arm, she pushed off the bed and tried to stand up, but one of her ankles wobbled painfully, making her shriek before it gave way.

"WHOA!" he cried, reaching out and grabbing her waist with both hands. He couldn't help but feel how thin and fragile she was. "Are you okay?"

"I-It's my ankle." 

She sounded like she was about to cry, and indeed she was. She had wanted to make it back for Rapunzel's wedding and now she certainly couldn't.

"Do you think it's broken?"

"I-I don't know... it hurts, get me off it!" she cried. 

With ease, he lifted her up and back onto the bed. She realized just then that she was looking _up_ at him, he had grown taller. Not much taller, but he certainly had a couple of inches on her now. 

"Ow..." she whimpered.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"It does now." she said bitterly.

"Here, something for the pain--"

"I don't need rum, kid, I need--"

"It's not rum!" he assured her. He took out a vial and dropped it on her awkwardly bent ankle, the pain dulled, then stopped.

"Whoa..."

"Feel better?"

"Yeah." she blinked.

"We'll still need to set your ankle, but at least it won't hurt when we do it now."

"Thanks, kid."

"You guys still use rum as a painkiller on the battlefield?" he looked slightly aghast.

"Yeah."

"Does it actually work?"

"Not like this. It just makes you stop caring and start singing." said Cas.

"Huh. I could help with that. Not like Corona would _want_ me to, but..."

"It'd beat having to hear the guys in the barracks sing." she muttered, remembering the horrible, off-key, pain-filled verses she had had to endure.

"Let me see if I have a splint. I should around here somewhere." 

Before he could get up however, Ruddiger returned with something in his mouth... indeed it was a splint. 

"Thanks, buddy!" chuckled Varian.

"Wow, that's almost scary that he's so smart." said Cassandra, blinking in bewilderment.

"What can I say? Runs in the family." he grinned. "Ruddiger here is not only part of the family, he's also a very good medical assistant too!" 

Cassandra stared at him.

"Um..."

He hadn't meant to let that slip out. 

"Medical assistant..? Kid, don't tell me..."

Now he had to come clean.

"The doctor on this side of the mountain skipped town during the war." he sighed. "I knew I could help and so many people were in need so... I took over."

"But you don't have a medical license!"

"No, but I saved more lives than that doctor ever did." he grumbled. "And someone had to, Cassandra. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing!"

Cassandra thought about it, war was hell, it was true, but practicing medicine without a license could get you major jailtime.

"But you're practicing medicine--"

"Ah-ah! Not medicine, my dear. Would never dream of it. _Alchemy_. I'm simply using the principals of science to make my fellow man's suffering a little less, that's all. And you don't need a license to practice Alchemy."

It was true, you didn't. All you needed was the talent for it.

"Okay. But the town on this side of the mountain thinks you're a doctor."

"Oh, they know I'm not." he assured her. "They just.. don't care." he shrugged. "As long as I help them, they're fine with what I do."

"I guess that can be a good thing. At least you're being helpful." 

"I like to think I am." he held her foot between his hands and slid her boot off, she winced as she saw how black and blue and swollen her ankle was.

"Ho yeah, it's broken." he nodded, noting how ever so slightly inward it was turning. "You might feel this, but it probably won't hurt."

"What do you mean probably--"

He adjusted her ankle ever so slightly upward, she heard a faint click, suddenly her leg felt a ton better. He placed the splint on it and began wrapping her ankle ever so gently.

"That feels better."

"Good." He took a vial out of his pocket and used a droplet of the compound to make the bandage stick.

"What was...?"

"Oh, just a little glue." he grinned. "I've found it works better than tying the bandage."

"Huh. You really know your stuff, don't you kid?"

"I try." he smiled.

He so different than the last time she had seen him. So humble and kind... more like the kid she had met all those years ago. War changes people, and it looked like he had changed for the better.

"I must admit, I never expected to see you again."

"I never expected to walk free again." he admitted. "But... after about a week, I was sent to Mrs. Lundgren's home for troubled youth."

Cassandra grimaced. "They always threatened me with that at the orphanage, before Dad adopted me."

He glanced at her.

"I wasn't the most well-behaved kid." she amended. "How was it?"

"Awful. I was with them for six months, then since I had this Alchemy talent, they apprenticed me out to the doctor here on this side of Mount Saison... it was okay for awhile, it wasn't home but he did let me keep Ruddiger."

"So... you've been training with this guy awhile then."

"Oh yeah... you think I'm a beginner?"

"No, obviously not." said Cassandra. "It's just.. been awhile, that's all."

"It has." he sighed.

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door. 

"Uno momento, milady." Varian excused himself. 

It was a villager, a poor guy who had somehow gotten a milking bucket stuck on his head.

"Uh... Cas, will you be okay in here by yourself? I got a situation here."

"Sure." she called, rolling over. She was still suspicious, but maybe this kid wasn't so bad after all.


	5. Trail of Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene and Lance happen upon Cassandra's trail, and we get to see inside Varian's head.

Eugene and Lance had ridden for about a day when they got to where Pete had said Cassandra had fallen off the side of the mountain. The troops had marked it with a little Coronian flag. 

"Pickaxe?"

"Check."

"Rope?"

"Check."

"Two trusty, sure-footed friends who don't mind lowering me into the abyss so I can possibly get devoured by the angered soul of a Viper Woman?"

"Che--Ooh, let's hope not." shuddered Lance, glancing over at Max who just snorted. 

Lance tied the rope around Eugene's waist, which was connected to his own waist, which was connected to the horn of Max's saddle, finally, the last part of the rope had been tied around a rock that jetted out of the side of the mountain.

"Alright, going down!" announced Eugene as he began his descent down the side of the sheer cliff. At first he didn't see anything, then he saw a dent some brush, followed by some dried blood on a neighboring rock.

"Oh boy..."

As he followed the trail, the blood got more pronounced. 

"Getting warmer..." he muttered sadly, knowing that whatever he found next was not going to be good. He just hoped she was still in one piece.

Finally, against a large rock, he saw it, a helmet, splashed with a great deal of dried blood. He had to admit, not even an angry viper woman could have survived this.

"You really took one for the team, didn't you, Dragon Lady?" he said sadly, picking up the helmet by its feather.

He ventured a look behind the large rock, fully expecting to see something horrific, but aside from a large smear of dried blood and some melted, twisted metal, there was nothing there.

"Wait a minute.. where did you go?" he asked, to no one in particular.

It was almost as if she had been picked up and carried off.

"Oh no..."

He hung his head. He had hoped to bring back an alive, but possibly angry Cassandra in time for the wedding, but now it looked like he would be handing the Head of Guard her helmet... for the very last time.

"Pull me up, Lance!"

"That was quick." observed Lance, dreading what he was about to see.

Up Eugene came, holding a bloodied helmet by its feather.

Quickly, Lance helped him over the ledge.

"I'm really sorry buddy."

"I'm more than sorry, I'm the one that has to give this to the Head of Guard."

"Oy."

"Something... carried her off."

Lance shuddered. "I've heard of snow leopards in these mountains. And wolves."

"S-Snow Leopards?"

"Yeah, normally they stay away from people, but if one was already injured, I can't imagine it'd be able to resist."

Eugene shook his head sadly at the helmet. "I hope you weren't awake for it, Cas." he said softly. 

"Ready to go back?"

"Yeah..." said Eugene sadly. "Yeah, I'm ready..."

Though he wasn't looking forward to breaking the news.

~*~*~*~

Varian was dreaming again, this time his subconscious was tormenting him with a far more recent happening.

"C'mon, Cassandra!" he urged, as he pressed a cloth to her bleeding shoulder. "Don't give up on me now!"

Her breathing had slowed to a stop, her body was lifeless.

"No, NO!!!" he cried, reaching into his pocket for the exilir. He was only able to make a dropper full, but it was the only hope he'd had in the moment.

Suddenly a voice muffled by amber spoke up.

"What makes you think you can save her? You couldn't save me." sneered his Father.

"It wasn't my fault, Dad! I did everything!"

"And now you're willing to give her your last vial of exlixir instead of using it to free me?"

"I can make MORE now that I know how! You've waited this long, don't think I've forgotten!"

"I wish I had a son I could be proud of."

"SHUT IT OLD MAN!" he cried, dropping the elixir into Cassandra's mouth. After a second she began to cough, then moan. 

"That's it, come on..." he coaxed.

"nnngh.. Varian... what have you done...?" she opened her eyes briefly.

"It's okay, Cas, I--"

He watched in horror as she suddenly became encased in amber.

"NOOO!!!!!!!"

Varian awoke in a cold sweat. He quickly looked around the room and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Cassandra, sleeping peacefully. He didn't regret what he had done, because he was pretty sure there was trace amounts of the liquid still in the vial, if he could synthesize those trace amounts he could make enough of the elixir to free his Dad in the future, but at the moment that was all he had of the compound, and he was glad that he could at least save one person that he... loved.

Yes, he still carried a torch for her. Even though it had been four years and the last time he'd seen her she would've rather ran him through with a sword than ever considered being with him, he couldn't help it, whenever he looked at her, his heart skipped a beat. Of course, she didn't feel the same way about him, nor would she ever. He had betrayed the one person on earth that she had been charged with protecting. He had messed everything up, and he knew it. Of course he could try to make up for it, and keep the crazy notion in his head that she would someday return his feelings, but he knew the truth. 

Besides, she didn't want an inexperienced _boy_ , like himself. She was too beautiful a rose to go unpicked, so whatever feelings he had about her would have to remain unspoken. He caught himself staring at her as she slept, the one thing she had asked him not to do. " _Stop it, idiot_." he chided himself harshly. But just like the feelings in his heart, he found he couldn't help but gaze at her. She was perfect. Or at least she was his definition of perfect anyway. He had yet to find another girl that captivated his heart so completely. He sort of wished he had, at least then he wouldn't feel so... lame. But it's not like he could help it, after all, it was like his Mother used to say, " _You can't help who you fall in love with_."

As if she could sense him, Cassandra stirred in her sleep, quickly, he averted his eyes and searched for something else to be doing. It was then that he realized that the fire had gone out and he needed to stoke it again. He made a note to himself to get more firewood tomorrow. Suddenly he realized just how cold the room was.

"Did the fire go out?" asked Cassandra tiredly as she watched him poke at the coals.

"Y-Yeah." he hadn't meant to sound like he was shivering.

"Are you cold?" she asked.

"N-No, I-I'm f-fine." his chattering teeth betrayed him. " _Nice going, genius._ "

She felt sorry for the kid, he had given up his nice warm bed for her and was sleeping in a cold, straight-backed chair. Of course, on some of the battlefield she'd been on that straightbacked chair would've been the lap of luxury, but he wasn't a soldier. He was a civillian, and a sort of weak one at that.

"It's gonna take awhile for this room to warm up... to be honest I'm kind of cold too." she said.

"It'll only take a few minutes... besides, I have blankets."

"Kid, come here." she beckoned softly.

With one final poke, he got the fire roaring again, then went over to her. "Yeah?"

"Look, me and the guys used to do this in the barrack tents all the time. It's called doubling-up, we'd get in our bed rolls, and lie with our backs to each other as close as we could."

Varian swallowed hard. 

"A-Are you sure?"

"You still gotta get me back to the palace and I don't want you dying of pneumonia before that happens." she poked him in the chest with her good arm. "Now, you grab a blanket, and I'll roll up in mine, and we'll sleep back to back."

"A-Alright then." He was equal parts terrified and excited, but mostly terrified. What if he said something? Or did something... or touched her...

"...And kid?" she added. 

"Yeah?" he squeaked, mouth suddenly dry. 

"If you try anything, I will break your fingers one by one and shove them down your throat. I'm a trained warrior."

"Got it!" he replied. " _So no worries of that_." he thought, a little relieved. " _Remember, this is not an invitation, this is... a favor. Even though it's my own bed, I gave it to her because I'm a gentleman, and a gentleman I shall remain_."

He grabbed the thickest blanket he could so that there would be a very thick barrier between them.

"'Night, kid." yawned Cassandra.

"Goodnight, Cas." faltered Varian, grateful that he could only feel mostly blanket as she snuggled her back into his.

~*~*~*~

With a heavy heart, Eugene lay the helmet at the head of Guard's feet.

"Lance and I, we went looking for her..." he shook his head. "This was all we found."

The normally gruff Head of Guard, picked up the helmet and cradled it, almost as if one would a newborn. He grimaced in pain, then looked up at Eugene with brimming eyes.

"Thanks for trying to bring my little girl home, Rider."


	6. Never have I ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bodies have a way of shifting during the night. ;)

When Cassandra awoke, she was warm... very warm, and comfy, more comfy than she had been in days.

She realized there was a very thick blanket around her, and a very thick pair of gloved hands around her waist.

" _Well this is awkward_." she thought, realizing that his chin was nestled in her hair. " _God, I'd be the laughing stock of all the guards right now, letting the mad scientist kid use me as his own personal teddy bear_."

Normally this would be about the time she would be slapping him awake and threatening to dismember him, but something about the way he was snuggled against her softened her. She could tell he didn't really mean anything by it, it wasn't like the guys in the barrack tents who'd pretend to be asleep and then grope you, no this was a gentle, almost protective hold.

" _Some day, some girl is gonna be real lucky to have you, kid_." she thought, sighing. No one had ever really thought of her like that, a delicate flower in need of protecting. Of course, not that she wanted them to, she could handle things by herself, but sometimes it would've been nice to have been appreciated for being a woman.

He gave a grunt and snuggled closer, stroking her side. It felt... nice. Nicer than it should have. 

" _Note to self, take out a personal ad in Corona Daily when you get back_." she chided herself, reaching for her dagger and placing it under Varian's chin.

"Rise and shine, kid." 

"Huh--oh--AAH!!" he gave a start and jumped off the bed. "I--Cas--I'm so sorry!" 

She began laughing, she couldn't help it, it was funny. 

"What?" he asked irritably, dusting himself off. 

"Just... you... sproing! Like a mountain goat!" 

She was laughing at him. 

"One has mountain goat-like tendencies when one is confronted with a dagger at one's throat." he griped. "That's not funny, Cassandra." 

"Maybe not to you." she giggled. 

"Do you think I'd hurt you?" 

"Not like you could." she scoffed. 

"No, I'm asking, do you really think I'd want to hurt you?" 

She hadn't actually considered it as a serious thought. "You could always _try_." 

He was insulted. 

"Even after getting you off that mountain?" 

"Kid, I barely know you--" 

"Even after bringing you back from the proverbial DEAD?!" he cried. 

"What?" 

"You stopped breathing on me TWICE, Cas! I think if I'd wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have fought so hard to bring you back!" his voice was shaking with rage. "Now if you'll excuse me... I'm going to get more firewood!" 

"You'll do no such thing, what the hell happened to me, kid?!" 

"Just what I told you." 

"No, I mean it, tell me!!!" 

"Alright, you want to know? Fine, I'll tell you! I got you off the mountain and you were technically dead when I got you in here! I gave you half the restoration elixir and was in the middle of healing the burn when you woke up, I thought that was the end of it, but then you died AGAIN!" 

She gasped. "I... I didn't realize." 

"I had to give you all of it. All of the restoration elixir I had... I... I had been s-saving it for m-my..." he trailed off, voice breaking. 

"Varian, if you had been saving it for your Dad, why didn't you just..." 

"Because I couldn't." he whispered. "I don't even know if it would work on Dad... not now at least.. it took me so long to figure out how to make it." he said sadly. "At least with you, I knew it had a chance of working." 

"Varian, I--" 

"Do you still believe I want to hurt you now?" 

"N-No." 

"Good." his voice was still trembling, with rage or emotion she wasn't sure. "I'll be back, I'm going to get firewood." 

He didn't tell her, but there was a part of him that was terrified to bring his Dad back. Of course his Dad could have figured out how to make the potion in a few days, or weeks, maybe even a few hours. it wouldn't have taken him years of trial and error, of failed experiments, of pure and utter shame.

Of course he could've used his automatic firewood chopper invention to get the firewood, but right now he needed something to expend the emotional energy pent up inside him. He would get the firewood the old-fashioned way, by using elbow grease.

~*~*~*~

Cassandra felt bad.. she wished there was a way to get word to the palace that she was alright, just hold up here for awhile. Then again, if they saw the note was coming from Varian's lab they might just send out every guard in Corona and poor Varian would be skewered alive. That couldn't happen, as bad as Varian had been in the past, he had saved her life and he did seem like he had changed for the better.

She wished there was someone she could talk to, other than Ruddiger.

"God I wish you were here, Raps." she sighed. But then, she wasn't sure if Rapunzel would've been on Varian's side either. After all, he did kidnap her Mom and threaten to encase her in amber, such things aren't so easily forgotten. In fact she was pretty sure no one would _ever_ forget that. So she was stuck here, with no one to talk to other than Varian or his racoon.

" _This is when having a mom would really come in handy_..." she thought miserably.

~*~*~*~

Rapunzel couldn't think of one thing to do in Cas's honor. She felt like a bad friend. She could have always dedicated a statue, or some public landmark to her but that seemed so impersonal, plus Cas always thought it was really stupid when things like that were done. She always said it was better to honor people while they were alive.

"You had a point, Cas." said Rapunzel miserably.

Now she not only had a wedding to plan, but a funeral to attend. Eugene had brought back all that remained of Cas, her helmet, the day before and presented it to the Head of Guard. At least he had tried to bring her back for the wedding. 

"Have you decided what you're going to say at the memorial?" asked her Mother.

"I... I just can't, Mom..." sobbed Rapunzel, breaking down.

"Oh, honey..."

Times like this is when having a Mom came in handy.


	7. Never have I ever part 2 ;)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had to ;)

Cas had spent the majority of the day looking through some books that were near her. One was a spell book, written in a language she couldn't decipher but it had some magnificent pictures. The others were encyclopedias, it would figure, he wouldn't have any trashy romance novels lying around. After a long, hard war what she wouldn't give for something to take her mind off things. Maybe that's why she had gotten carried away this morning, she really hadn't meant to hurt Varian's feelings, nor had she realized just how close she had come to death.

"I really need to apologize to the kid, he was really worried about me." she sighed.

Suddenly, she heard a crash at the door, in came Varian, lugging two armloads full of firewood.

"Got enough for the winter?" she asked.

"Ugggh... RUDDIGER COME HELP ME!" he cried.

Quickly, the raccoon dashed off and went to the door, she could hear various crashes, yelling, and chittering as the firewood was put away.

She started to laugh but thought better of it. If he saw her laughing again he might think she was laughing at him--which, technically she was, but more at the sounds he was making than anything else.

"Alright... firewood... out of the way..." panted Varian as he trudged back inside, sitting down in a heap by the fireplace. He looked troubled.

"Look, kid... about earlier... I'm sorry. War does things to people... it was a little bit of barracks humor, sometimes, I forget how to act around civillians."

He glanced at her.

"You're the first one I've been around in over 3 years." said Cas plainly. "Consider it a failed experiment."

He couldn't help but smile a little at her attempt at humor. "Okay, you got me there."

"I also really don't think you'd hurt me." she amended. "I don't think you'd _want_ to, at least."

He sighed. She was right, he could very well have hurt her, with his knowledge of alchemy and various potions, but... he didn't want to.

"Thanks, Cas." he smiled tiredly at her, grimacing as he leaned back in the chair.

"What is it?"

"Oh... I think I threw out my shoulder getting firewood. It's nothi--OWWWWRUDDIGERWHYYY" Ruddiger had chosen that exact moment to leap onto his shoulder, his bad shoulder.

"Come here, kid." she motioned to the bed.

"Alright..." he winced as he got up and went over to her. 

"Sit down." she motioned for him to sit down in front of her. 

"Okay then." 

"Now, remember, I'm a trained warrior, I know all the pressure points in the human body."

"Wait, Cas, what are you do--"

"Relax!" she lay her hand good on his shoulder and began to work out the tension.

"Oh... _holy light of Corona_...!" he exclaimed softly.

"Wow kid, you'd think you'd never had a girl touch you before."

" _You'd be right_." he thought, leaning into her touch. "I-I-It's... been awhile."

She nodded. "Yeah, same here. Well, aside from the jostling you get in the barracks."

"They don't treat you like a lady of the court, do they, Cassandra?"

"No, they treat me like any other soldier." said Cassandra. "But, that's the way it should be."

"I can't say I like that, Cas." he said quickly, suddenly feeling a surge of protective energy rise within him.

"Neither does my Dad, but he knows I'm used to it."

"None of them hurt you, did they?"

"Nah. Not really."

"Not really?" he didn't like the sound of that. The thought of someone hurting her really made him want to break things.

"Like I said, barracks humor. It happens a lot.

"Maybe someone needs to remind them who they're dealing with."

"Nah, I'm fine." said Cas, getting to a particularly tender spot on his shoulder.

"GAH!"

"Ooh, hurt much?"

"Nngh, you could say that." he winced.

"I think I see the problem. Hold still."

"What are you--OW!!"

She gripped his shoulder firmly between her thumb and forefinger and pressed until there was a satisfying crack.

"OW! Cassandra! Th-That's.... hey... that worked." he moved his arm. "How did you do that one handed?"

"What can I say? I'm a talented girl."

He grinned at her. "I can see that."

"Unfortunately, I'm not at full power yet." she griped.

"Could've fooled me." he leaned backward, gazing into her eyes.

She tousled his hair, pretending not to notice how intense his stare was. "Flattery'll get you nowhere, kid." 

Suddenly, Cassandra realized that she hadn't had a proper bath in days, and her hair was probably a mess. "Hey kid, you got a mirror around here somewhere?"

"Oh, sure."

"And a brush?"

"Um... let me see." he dug around in some dresser drawers before finding a very old, but clean brush that had belonged to his Mom. "H-Here you go."

She noted the climbing rose handle. "This belonged to your Mom?"

He nodded sadly. "Yeah... oh, and here's the mirror!"

He handed her a matching mirror. They were so pretty. She took a gander and grimaced. "Oh, why didn't you tell me it was sticking up on one side?"

"Sorry..."

"Um... tell you what, kid, come back when my hair isn't going northwest, got it?"

"Alright. Let me know when you're done." he went outside to get some fresh air, but wasn't gone scarcely five minutes when he heard an anguished shriek. " _I bet she tried to brush her hair with her bad arm, holy crap why didn't I offer_ \--"

But no, when he got back inside, Cassandra was curled up, crying, not in pain but rather in shock and fear.

"Cas, what's... oh..."

"G-Go on, kid..." she stammered. The bandages were off, it was the first time she had seen her arm since the injury. "D-Don't look at it..."

"Cas, I won't turn to stone, you're not a basilisk--"

"GO AWAY!" she shrieked.

"Cas, it'll heal. I promise--"

"It won't ever look right again!" she sobbed. She knew it sounded silly, coming from someone who had just waged a successful war campaign, but deep down inside, she was still a girl and her Lady-in-Waiting dress had a rather deep neck. The burn went from halfway down her neck to the top of her arm. Maybe it was wrong to think of only her looks at a time like this, but.. she felt wronged. Disfigured.

"No, Cas, it'll be okay!--"

"No it won't..." she lamented. "I-I'll always have to wear a bandage on it."

"No you won't."

"Y-Yes I will. Anything I wear won't look right... not now." she wasn't sure why this was bothering her so much, it just was. Maybe it was because of the fact that it was so visible without the bandage. And she knew the way war wounds healed, they never healed pretty. She had prided herself on getting mostly minor ones, even in battle, ones that wouldn't show unless you went skinny dipping. But this was so horrible looking that she wondered for a second what on earth she had done to deserve it.

"I-I'm not pretty anymore..." she whimpered.

So that was it.

He sat beside her on the bed. "Cassandra, don't say that. Don't ever say that."

"It's true." she mourned.

"No it's not." he took her good hand in his. 

"Who would say I'm beautiful now?" she snorted. "The girl with the melting flesh?"

"I would." 

"Kid, you don't have to--"

"No, Cassandra, I mean it. I would."

"H-How?"

"That's a battle wound, Cas. You got that because you were braver than any soldier out there."

"Or I happened to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time." she explained.

"Still, it seems somebody wanted to take you out, specifically."

She thought about it for a second. "You know kid, you got a point."

"And knowing I'm in the same room with the bravest woman in Corona? That makes her plenty beautiful to me."

Cassandra blinked, wiping her eyes. "You really know how to make a girl feel special, Varian."

"Beauty, perfection, thy name is Cassandra." he said softly, closing the distance between them and kissing her.

(Art by [**DJ-Chan**](http://dj-chan.tumblr.com) over on tumblr!!! )


	8. Butterflies and zombies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we find out that this isn't that common an occurrence for either party. ;) And Shorty gets to rain on everyone's parade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorty was surprisingly lucid here... it's early so we'll pretend he hadn't been to the pub quiiite yet ;) And sorry I couldn't leave well enough alone.

Butterflies.

It was a feeling Cassandra hadn't felt in literally _years_.

This feeling blind-sided her, on one hand, it almost felt wrong to be feeling this way with him. On the other... this was how she'd always imagined first kisses to feel like, sweet, gentle, exciting. He made her feel like a _Lady_ , a real lady with real station, not just a hero home from battle, but like the softest, most daintiest of flowers. It was a feeling that scared her, but welcomed her all at the same time.

Finally, after a few moments, both came up for air, dizzy and breathless.

"What was...?" she asked, trailing off, blushing.

"Amazing." he marveled, gazing into her eyes once more. 

"Kid--ow."

Suddenly they both remembered, her arm wasn't bandaged.

"Oh, Cas, I'm sorry, let me get that!" he quickly dug around for more bandages and began the not-so-pleasant process of re-bandaging her arm. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No... it's just sore."

"Yeah, I'm a real idiot and got so carried away that I forgot about your arm. I'm so sorry, Cas." he kept muttering his apologies over and over while he quickly wrapped her arm.

"Kid, i-it's alright. To be completely honest, I forgot for a minute too."

"I know, but I should know better." he chided himself.

"Varian," she said softly, putting her hand on his arm. "We were distracted, it's okay."

His breath caught in his throat. Had he really just kissed her? Had she actually _returned_ the kiss? Suddenly he felt a little like fainting.

"Kid... don't pass out on me."

He shook his head. "S-Sorry." he wished he could hide how much he was blushing.

She smiled demurely. "Have you ever actually... done that before, kid?"

"Done what?" he was trying to focus on bandaging her arm properly.

She giggled, not laughter at his expense, but rather a gentle, playful laugh.

"I... oh... well.. come to think of it..." he didn't know if he should admit this or not. In fact, he was definitely sure he shouldn't. "Um... sure! Once... twice..." he trailed off, shrugging.

She could tell he was lying.

"So what was it, once, or twice?"

"Once..." Well, technically it was true _now_. 

"What was her name?"

"Um... funny you should ask." he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It... escapes me at the moment."

"So, how old were you?"

"I... um... it was... fairly recent." it had been awhile since he had told an actual, bona-fide lie, so he was a little out of practice. "How old were you?" Maybe flipping the question would make it easier to think of a decent lie.

She grinned. "Oh, around 14. It was one of the Squires. My Dad got _so_ mad when he caught us in the stable."

"Is the guy still alive?" asked Varian, a few octaves higher than his voice should've been.

"Yeah, he survived Dad chasing him around with a broadsword. That's when Dad started threatening to send me to the convent." she sighed. "So that was the last of that.. for awhile."

"Oh..."

"Yeah. Until Andrew--"

"Andrew?!" for just a split second Varian saw red.

"Oh relax kid, it was years ago and he wasn't actually interested in me, he was a saporian separatist. We were playing each other, to get close to each other." she sighed. "So, as nice as it felt... it wasn't real."

She seemed a little sad about that. 

"I don't know how you do that and not _mean_ it." he said truthfully.

"Trust me, its better that way. So, how did yours go?"

"I-It was..." he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. "It was _wonderful_ , Cassandra."

She was beyond flattered. "You know... I've never been anyone's first before... not even back then." 

"I'm glad you were mine."

"Ready for your second?" she asked, stroking his cheek.

"Yeah..." 

He was pretty sure it was impossible to die of your heart spontaneously combusting into flames, but if that was the way he was going to go, then he'd gladly die with a smile on his face.

~*~*~*~

"I still can't believe she's gone." said Eugene, shaking his head.

"It's not right." sniffled Rapunzel as they walked through the village. 

"Yeah... can't believe she's gone either..." said Shorty, waddling up beside them. "What a way to go, too. But if she's happy... you gotta let 'er go."

They stared at the tiny, dwarf-like man.

"Um, Shorty, we're talking about Cassandra." said Rapunzel gently. "She's.. no longer with us."

"I know, but don't worry, the Alchemy-Boy'll make her real happy!"

"Alchemy...Boy?" repeated Eugene. Rapunzel gave him an imploring look.

Eugene sank to eye level with Shorty, "Now, Shorty, this is serious, we're talking about the love of my life's best friend and the only bona-fide dragon lady I know."

"Yup, that's her!"

Eugene rolled his eyes. "Are we talking about our dragon lady or that girl you brought to the pub that time that had the tail?"

"Don't talk about Gerda that way! She was the love of my life!" yelled Shorty, running off in tears.

"Eugene, you don't think...?"

Eugene shook his head. "No... she couldn't have survived that, Blondie. Trust me... I _saw_. Nobody could have. Unless..." Eugene trailed off, grimacing.

"Unless what?"

"Unless Shorty's onto something and Varian's created a zombie. In which case, we're all doomed." 

"WHAT?!" cried Rapunzel, terrified.

"Seriously, Blondie, I don't think that's possible." he backpedaled, instantly regretting what he said.

"Are you SURE?"

"Yes, Blondie... you can't raise the dead."

"But Varian's an alchemist."

"Even they can't raise the dead. And the last time I checked, his old man was still trapped inside that amber."

"True..." she sighed.

"I tell you what though, Blondie... this still isn't sitting right with me. After the wedding... we'll re-visit this."

"You promise, Eugene?"

"Of course, darling."

"Thank you!!!" she hugged him. 

" _I hope I'm right, I really don't want to know what an angry, zombie-fied Cassandra is gonna do to me_." thought Eugene uneasily.


	9. Magic and Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas finds out the reason why the townspeople don't mind Varian so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with this. :) I hope you don't mind a few minor OC's. :) I also get that this isn't old Corona, it's a small town on the other side of Mount Saison. I think after what happened to his Dad, and considering their house was pretty much destroyed by rocks, he might've moved.

Maybe it was the fact that she was weak from the fall, maybe it was the fact that her body was healing and she needed all the comfort she could get, maybe it was the fact that he catered to her every whim and wasn't the least intimidated or put off by her strength or tendency to take the lead, but Cassandra found herself growing very fond of the young Alchemist.

Truth be told, he wasn't a bad kisser either, but she wouldn't admit that to anyone outside of herself.

It was fun having someone all to herself, someone that no one knew about. Someone who was just entirely for her and no one else. She had never had that before and it was great. 

"Ready for a day out?" asked Varian, one morning after breakfast.

"I can't exactly walk yet, kid."

"You don't have to." said Varian, revealing a wheelbarrow he'd fashioned into a rickshaw.

"Aw, kid... but won't you get tired?"

"Nah, besides, I need to go into town and get supplies and I thought you might like the chance to get some too."

"Alright, but if you get tired, we sit down."

"Deal." he shrugged. "C'mon now, in we go."

Against her better judgement, a giggle escaped her as he lifted her off the bed and into the rickshaw. He strapped himself into a weird looking harness and made a run for it. "Aaaaand away we go!"

~*~*~*~

She had enjoyed the ride into the small town. It wasn't much different from the kingdom, but there were a lot more hills involved. She wished she could get out and walk, it would have been so much easier.

"Whew... okay here we go..." panted Varian. "We're here!"

"I... don't have any money." said Cas sadly. "I think I left my money in my horse's saddlebag."

"Don't worry about it, milady." he winked at her. "Today is my treat."

"Oh... kid, I'll pay you back!"

"No need, no need!" he waved her protests away.

"I... kinda need a new outfit." she muttered, motioning to her mismatched clothes.

"Whatever the lady wants." he complied, taking her into what looked to be a seamstresses' shop.

"Margaret? Ohhh Margaret..." he sang. 

A pleasantly plump woman came waddling out of the back. "Oh hello Varian, how are--Oh! Oh you've brought a friend, I see?"

"Yeah... this is Cassandra."

"Nice to meet you. I'd curtsy but..." she motioned to her leg. "I need a new outfit?"

"Oh dear me, yes you do! What would you like?"

"Something that's light on the hoops with big sleeves?"

"Oh, yes dear, certainly. Take her to the back for me, would you, Varian?"

"Sure."

"I should've thought this through, I don't know how I'm going to stand up to change."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Margaret knows what she's doing." he assured her.

"Alright..." she said skeptically. 

"I'll be out here, get Margaret to come get me when you're done, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks."

There was an air of mystery about this place that Cassandra couldn't quite put her finger on. It was so... mystical? Maybe that was the word she was looking for. Margaret reappeared with a couple of yards of fabric.

"Now, dear, tell me which colors you like."

Among the fabrics were the prettiest, most vibrant colors that she had ever seen. "Wow..." she blinked. "I... I really like this one." she pointed to a pale green that reminded her of new leaves on a tree.

"That one does suit you. Will that be all?"

She picked a purple one, and just for good measure, a light gold color.

"All good choices."

"Excuse me, Madame, but I really don't know how I'm going to stand up and let you fit me."

"Oh, no worries! I'm an experienced seamstress." with that, she took a wand from her pocket and began drawing in the air around Cassandra's prone form, suddenly a glowing blue mist in the shape of her body rose up and Margaret began her work.

She wasn't just a seamstress...

"You're... using magic?"

"Well, it's the only way, dear! Besides... it's much more fun, don't you think?" 

She watched in amazement Margaret controlled the bolts of fabric around the form and made her new clothes.

"That's amazing!"

"Oh yes."

"Wait'll they get a load of this in Corona..."

Margaret gasped. "No! No you musn't!"

"Why? It's not harmful magic--"

"The King would have our heads! He's not fond of magic! Besides... this side of Mount Saison belongs to the magic folk." said Margaret in hushed tones. "It wouldn't do to go revealing our secrets, especially when we're not hurting anyone."

Suddenly, Cassandra knew why the townspeople didn't mind what Varian was doing. 

"I.... yeah, I see your point."

"Now, think of the color you most want to be wearing right now."

"Um... alright." Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment and imagined the green dress. When she opened them she saw her clothing had been switched.

"...How did you do that?"

"Ah-ah-ah, magic wouldn't be magic without a little mystery." chided Margaret, smiling. 

"Uh, how do I get the other ones on?" she asked.

"They're enchanted. You simply imagine which one you want to wear, and the clothing does the rest."

"That's... really amazing. Thank you, Margaret."

"Will that be all, young lady?"

"Sure."

Margaret snapped her fingers and the wheelbarrow found its way to the front where Varian was. She had to admit, it was strange but she didn't _dislike_ the use of magic, in fact it made things a lot easier. She wondered why the King was so against it? 

Suddenly, near the window, she saw it... books! And not just any books, but some of the novel installments she had been waiting on. 

Varian heard her excited squeal and turned around, only to have his breath catch in his throat. She was more beautiful than ever in that pale green dress.

"Some of my finest work, if I do say so myself."

"What do I owe you?" asked Varian, his eyes never leaving the young woman.

"Two vials, please."

He absently reached in his pocket and gave her three. "Keep the change." 

He went over to Cassandra, who was thumbing through some of the newer volumes on the shelf. "See anything you like?"

"Yeah! Oh man, I want all of these!"

"They're yours, then."

"But, that's... Varian, that's too expensive."

"Nah, it's not." he waved her protests away. "Put it all on my tab, Margaret, I'll come in next week." he called over his shoulder.

"Alright dear!"

"Varian, how are you paying for all of this?"

"Would you believe laundry detergent?"

She blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah... my way removes stains and saves water." he shrugged. "Comes in handy when you also own the laundry next door."

He began strapping himself into the harness again, but Margaret stopped him. "Oh, dear, allow me... you don't have to do that." she waved her wand and the wheelbarrow moved of its own accord.

"That way, you can walk beside your young lady." whispered Margaret, grinning.

"Thanks, Margaret."

They walked out of the shop and into the street.

"Where to next, milady?"

She shrugged. "You live here, I don't."

"Well then... let me show you a few of my favorite spot." he grinned, as if he knew a secret she didn't.

"Alright then."

He squeezed her hand as he strolled beside her, she smiled up at him, it had been literally years since someone had held her hand as they walked beside her. Guard trust exercises didn't count. Besides, no guard trust exercises ever made her feel like this.

Varian took her to what looked like a little gazebo with stained glass windows, or at least that's the way it looked from the outside. On the inside, the way the sun caught the glass in the windows made everything look like a rainbow.

"Wow..." she breathed.

"They call it, the hall of prisms. It's the most magical place this side of Mount Saison."

"I believe it."

He motioned for the wheelbarrow to follow him to a marble bench where he sat down beside her and began pointing out the various stories depicted on the jeweled walls.

"That one, apparently a minotaur attacked the town and the only way to lull it to sleep was for a beautiful maiden to play a magical flute. Rumor has it, it still lives in the mines somewhere."

"Does it really?"

"Maybe. Who knows?" he shrugged. "I don't go in the mines."

"Who's that girl?" she asked, gesturing to a tall woman holding a sword up high.

"Oh, that's Nadia... the warrior queen."

"I like her."

"You would. She singlehandedly defeated an entire army with that one sword."

"How come I never heard about her in Corona?"

"Corona erased all of it's magical history." explained Varian. "You'll find that some history books aren't all that... complete."

"Why?"

"Fear, mostly. A lot of people using it for the wrong reasons."

"Like with any kind of power, I guess." she sighed. "But this... this doesn't seem bad at all. I wonder why the King doesn't like it so much?"

"Probably because my Dad scared him silly years ago with it." shrugged Varian. "My Dad... had a way of doing that. For years, I thought I was only good for screwing things up because he would never say he was proud of me... it was the only thing I ever wanted. I _still_ want it..."

The pained look on his face broke her heart.

"But... I realize now, that I may never get that." 

"I.. thought you could make more of the resurrection elixir, or whatever it's called?"

"Restoration elixir." he corrected her. "And... I don't know if it'll work on Dad or not. It's supposed to restore things, but.. I don't know if it applies to the situation my Dad's in or not." he sighed. "Also, it took about 6 months to make it the first time."

"Oh... kid... I'm sorry."

"No, no, now that I know the secret I can do it again. It's just... finding the ingredients that's going to take me awhile."

"What are they?"

"They're part of the reason I came into town, honestly... part of the reason I came here." He pointed to a flower depicted on one of the walls. It was a white flower with an eerie blue glow about it.

"It's called the Moonflower... it only blooms here during the full moon. I was only able to get one the last time I was here."

"How can I help?"

"You, milady, are my ruse. They don't interrupt lovers during a full moon in this place." he winked at her.

"So... we have to pretend to be together?"

"Or... not so much pretend. Just act natural." he wished he wasn't blushing. 

"Right... natural." she grinned, then got a far off look in her eye. "Man, I wish I could've been at Raps' wedding."

"I wish I could've gotten you there."

"She probably thinks I'm dead." she said sadly. "I wish I could at least tell her I'm alright."

"You know when I take you back... it'll be the last time we see each other, right?" he said sadly.

"Why wouldn't they? You paid you dues."

"I kidnapped the Queen, hell, I tried to kill her at one point... no, no one's going to be accepting me back with open arms. I was told to never, ever, step foot in Corona again. The only way I'm going there is by nightfall to sneak into our old house and free my Dad... then if it works, we'll both walk. Or at least he will." 

"What do you mean, at least he will?"

"If I come back to Corona, I'm as good as dead, Cas. The guards have orders to shoot me on sight."

Cas blinked. She had obviously overestimated the King's good nature.

"What if I talked to them?"

"You can't change the King's mind." he shook his head sadly. "He _hates_ me, and I get it... I really do. I mean, if I had the idiot who got you with a flaming arrow, I'd..." he trailed off, upon seeing her expression. "You get the idea."

"Rider was a thief who robbed her at weapon-point and they're letting him marry their daughter." snorted Cas indignantly. 

"But he didn't know the Queen at the time. My Dad was a friend of the King's, I knew Queen Arianna from the time I was a child. It's... different. A different standard."

"A deeper insult?"

"Exactly."

"But Varian... why can't you let someone else sneak into your old house and free your Dad?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm the only one who can make sure it works properly."

"And if the guards catch you?"

"Then... the last thing I'll know is that my Dad was proud of me."

"Varian, you saved my life that has to count for something! I can talk to the King and Queen! And for what it's worth, you tried to kill me too, remember? I got over it."

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Cassandra."

She took his face in her hands. "You made up for it. You saved me. I'm not letting you die."

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"Of course I do, kid..." she whispered, brushing that pesky lock of hair out of his face and kissing him.


	10. Unseely is as unseely does

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian has messed with forces beyond his kin, and Cassandra educates him in a really amusing way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorty was the guy who came in with a bucket stuck on his head but he's not the only reason Varian's got problems. No, it seems Varian has a knack for getting into that all by himself.

It had been a few weeks since the wedding. Eugene had cross-examined Shorty, and, if it had just been another crazy rambling, then the story would have changed. But no, every time, Shorty's story remained the same. He had seen Cassandra with, as he liked to call him "Alchemy Boy". 

"When did you visit Alchemy B--err--Varian?" asked Eugene.

"I had a milking accident."

"A milking accident?" Eugene briefly wondered if he wanted to know.

"Yeah, ever tried milkin' a mountain goat on the side of a mountain?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't tried that."

"The bucket didn't like me, wound up on my head."

"Wait a minute, you tried milking a mountain goat on the side of a mountain and you SURVIVED?" cried Eugene indignantly. 

"Yeah but... the poor bucket..." said Shorty sadly.

Eugene put two and two together, since the bucket was made of metal, and Cassandra's armor was made of metal, then it was possible for her to have survived that fall, but the flaming arrow and bleeding out made things iffy. Maybe if Varian--or someone--had found her in time, she would have survived, but losing that much blood made it unlikely. Varian was definitely playing with something that unnatural, if not downright _unholy_.

"How did she look when you saw her?"

"Not good.. not good... all smushed." said Shorty sadly.

"Cassandra?" Eugene winced.

"No, my bucket." said Shorty. "I don't know why you keep asking about Cassandra, I don't know any Cassandra!"

"Angry. Viper. Woman."

"Oh THAT Cassandra." he nodded in recognition. "I didn't exactly see her..."

"What?"

"I didn't see her, but she's there. I heard him talking to her. He kept her in the back."

"Right..." muttered Eugene. " _Just the perfect place to reanimate the undead_." 

He sighed miserably. "That'll be all, Shorty."

Shorty saluted him and scampered away. He sat down in a heap beside Max, who looked worried.

"I don't think Blondie's gonna like it when her best friend tries to eat her brain, Max." 

Maximus only nickered in agreement.

~*~*~*~

Three flowers... that night, Varian had managed to get three of the rare moonflowers. It was more than enough to make duplicates of the potion, and probably enough to free his Dad and save about half the village, if they ever needed it. 

But what Varian failed to realize was, magic always came with a price. What that price was wouldn't be known until later, but for now he was content to work night and day on his new project.

Cassandra however, was bored.

She had a ton of books to read, but all work and no play made Cas a dull girl. She admired the kid's dedication, she really did, but she honestly didn't see how he sat there, night after night, tinkering with some kind of liquid in a pot. 

Finally, one night, she watched as the liquid turned a glowing, crystal-white color and dripped into the flakken. Varian gasped.

"It WORKED!!!" he cried.

"Before you start dancing around, kid, make sure you're not gonna break anything."

"Oh... right... thanks." he chuckled, shoving all the breakable objects over to the other side of the table before doing a victory dance.

"I'm glad it worked, Var." 

Something about the way she shortened his name made him smile. He ventured over to her, for the first time in what felt like ages.

"So... liking the books?" he asked.

"Oh yeah." she grinned. 

He picked up one volume and read the title aloud. "The Knight and the Milkmaid...?"

"Yeah, that one I got for a wedding gift for Raps, _she_ likes that one."

"I never would've pegged Rapunzel for a romance novel reading type."

"Normally she isn't... the scenes make her blush too much. But that one isn't too bad. The one I like however..." she smirked. "She would _never_ get through it."

"Which one is that?"

She held up the volume she had been reading. "The Warrior and the Wizard."

Varian raised an eyebrow. "Mind if I take a look?"

She shrugged and tossed the book toward him. "Knock yourself out."

He began reading, "...And slowly, he made his way down her heaving bos--" the words died in his throat. "Um...!"

Cas bit her lip. "Go on."

"A-And ravished her--holy crap what did I buy you?!" he cried, flipping through more of the pages.

A peal of delighted laughter escaped Cas. "A lifetime's worth of entertainment! You don't know what the word means, kid?"

"Of course I know what it means!" he sputtered. "I just... didn't know you did."

"Well, not from personal experience." she assured him. "I just like to read about it."

"I've... never even done any reading about it... well, besides your basic biology." he admitted.

Making him blush made her feel powerful. "Oh you ought to, kid, it's fun!"

"I-It is?"

"I suppose it's an acquired taste." she said. "But whatever you do? Don't start with Fifty Shades of Vermillion."

"What's that about?" he asked. 

"You don't wanna know." 

Of course now he _had_ to know.

~*~*~*~

A few hours later, Varian lay at the foot of the bed, with the "50 shades of Vermillion" book open on his chest.

"Cassandra, what did I just read?"

"The filthiest smut in all Corona." she giggled. "I told you not to start there."

"No kidding, that was... there was a lot of..." 

"Ankles and pantaloons, I know." she whispered. 

"Th-That's not all." he faltered.

"And corsets! I forgot about all that. Though, little secret? No Lady-in-Waiting keeps 'em that tight, kid. If we did we'd all have broken ribs."

"Oh... really?" the mechanics of such things suddenly fascinated him.

"Yeah, poor Raps, one time she tried to lace hers as tight as she'd read about 'em in the novels? Bam! Passed out in 20 minutes on the floor."

He winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah, I totally had to help her there." 

For the first time in a long time, he found himself feeling a little bad for Rapunzel.

"The new magic duds lace you up just right though." she observed. "And thank God for that, I don't know when my arm will be of any use again." she griped.

"The magic... unfortunately doesn't work outside of the city." said Varian. "So the second we leave this place, everything goes back to being ordinary."

"I figured as much." sighed Cassandra. "You know, I kind of like this place."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like, you know."

"I know." She smiled. "It's nice... just the two of us."

"It... It can be like that all the time if you want, you know." he said softly, taking her hand in his. "You don't have to go back to the palace, neither of us do."

"Varian... my Dad... Rapunzel... they need to know that I'm alive. So, as soon as I'm healed up..."

"Yeah. We... part ways."

"Let me go in first. That way I can talk to the King and Queen and get you in." she squeezed his hand.

"Before any of that happens..." he stopped her. "Just... hear me out, please?"

"What is it, kid?"

"Don't call me kid, not... not right now."

"Varian, what is it?"

He gathered all his strength. "Cassandra... I love you, I'm _in_ love with you. I want you. Let's start over here..."

Cassandra blinked, blind-sided. That was as close as she had ever gotten to an actual marriage proposal... out of anyone.

"A-Are you... did you just...?"

"I guess I did--I mean I am..." he looked in her eyes, resolute.

He was completely serious.

Cassandra couldn't help it, she burst out laughing.

Varian looked away.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized. "I-I'm sorry i-it's just... all this time everyone's always said this would never happen."

Knowing that she wasn't actually laughing _at_ him made him feel a little bit better.

"Maybe nobody's ever been brave enough to ask." he ventured.

"You could say that. Ethel always used to say it'd take a hell of a knight to slay my dragon."

"Maybe the dragon doesn't need to be slayed." he smiled, kissing her forehead, wrapping his arms around her waist. "After all, dragons aren't viewed as bad everywhere. My Grandad used to travel the spice road, and he said in some places they were revered. He said he almost had the chance to meet one, once."

"Let me guess, chickened out?"

"No... the dragon cancelled." sighed Varian. "He never got around to going back."

"You're the first guy that's compared me to a dragon in a good way." she smiled. 

"What can I say? I like a challenge." he grinned. "Y-You're the first reason I've wanted to live beyond freeing my Dad..." he admitted.

She hadn't realized just how much pain he was in.

"You were really going to sneak back in and let them kill you, weren't you?"

"Well... provided I couldn't sneak back _out_." he shrugged. "But... I was fully prepared to accept the consequences."

"You know, they say things happen for a reason, kid..." she purred, "If it took a flaming arrow in me to get you to see that you don't need to die right now, then that's one scar I'll gladly bear."

They stared into each other's eyes before engulfing one another in a kiss.

~*~*~*~

Three tokens had been stolen from the unseelie court.

"Your highness," reasoned Margaret. "He's a mere human, he means no harm. He has been a model citizen, aside from this one incident. And he's kept our secret--"

"Didn't you say he has another human hiding with him?"

"Well, yes, but it's an injured lady and I doubt she could do us any harm."

"Give me her name."

"I... I think he called her Cassandra?"

"Lord Commandress Cassandra of Corona? She's hardly a milkmaid, Margaret."

"Well, no, but she's injured."

"No matter, they cannot stay. But _we_ won't be kicking them out... some of our emissaries will simply get the information to Corona. Our work is done."

"I can't say this leaves a good taste in my mouth, your highness." said Margaret sadly.

"Are you questioning me?"

"No, no... mine is not to question." Margaret simply bowed her head and bid farewell. She wished a thousand times she had never said anything now, but she had no choice in the matter.


	11. Unholy creations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where everyone jumps the gun... at least eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that escalated QUICKLY. O_O I'm going to apologize in advance for ruining everyone's fun, but the story needed a little conflict... so... conflict ye shall have!

The next morning, they awoke in each other's arms.

"Morning, milady." he whispered in her ear.

"Good morning." she rolled over to face him.

"Sleep well?"

"You would know." she teased, nudging him. He only laughed.

She liked how easy things were with him, how she could feel free to be every part of herself at once, not just the brave Lord Commandress, or Lady Cassandra of Corona, he was equally enamored of both parts. 

"Varian..."

He liked it when she said his name.

"Hm?"

"Would you really want to marry me?"

"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't mean it."

"That's... quite a commitment." she laughed nervously.

"What can I say? I know what I want."

She liked his confidence. He was the first guy to say beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wanted her, and only her... for life. 

"Well, my Dad will be happy."

Her Dad... the Head of Guard. That was going to be an awkward conversation.

"Or he'll shoot me at first sight." faltered Varian.

"I'll talk to him."

"Does that mean you're accepting?" he smiled excitedly.

"Let's not put a label on it yet, kid." she smiled slyly. "But... you're the closest I've ever been, with any guy. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Cassandra, I'm honored." he said softly, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Truth be told, I never thought it'd happen for me... you're not the only one that thought they'd go out in a blaze of glory."

"You thought...?"

"I thought I'd probably die in battle."

"You came close."

"After battle..." she corrected. "And that is strange because we had a surrender and everything from them."

"Some people hold grudges."

"Yeah but it was a flaming arrow... none of their archers used flaming arrows."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." she pondered. "They knew the battle was over, and we were nowhere near them when the shot was fired."

The wheels in Varian's head began turning. "And that arrow hit you in the shoulder, but it was nowhere near your heart."

"So... my heart shouldn't have stopped."

"Not twice, it shouldn't have."

They looked at each other.

"So Corona has another enemy." said Cas, blinking in bewilderment. "But who is it?"

Varian shrugged. "Search me."

~*~*~*~

"Oberon?"

"Frederic." said a hooded figure who had appeared in the throne room.

"I thought I told you, you were to use the door and request an audience, like everyone else."

"That was before our arrangement was compromised." said Oberon darkly. "I do believe we have something--rather--someone, of yours."

The King blinked. "What do you mean, compromised?"

"The lad you banished... he was apprenticed to our kingdom's doctor."

"Which lad? I've banished a few subjects in the last few years."

"The one that committed treason and tried to kill your Queen." said Oberon.

"Varian?"

"Yes, that lad. He's been a model citizen up until now..." Oberon clicked his tongue. "But now, I'm afraid he's overstepped the laws of nature itself."

"What do you mean?"

"I have it on good authority that he's been practicing necromancy."

"He's WHAT?!" thundered Frederic.

"Right now, he only has one subject that I know of, but what's stopping him from raising an entire army of undead and marching on Corona? After all, he already has your Lord Commandress."

Frederic paled.

"Our Lord Commandress died a few weeks ago."

"Very sorry for your loss." said Oberon, bowing his head. 

"Are you saying he... brought her back?"

"That's what is rumored." said Oberon. "I've not seen the girl myself, but according to one of my esteemed ladies, she was in town the other day."

"He paraded her about?"

"Well, it's not like there was much parading." chuckled Oberon. "After all, what can one do with a corpse?"

Frederic grimaced. "I... suppose you're right. This is a tricky situation, Oberon."

"But you _will_ , handle it, I trust?"

"Yes, yes I will handle it."

~*~*~*~

Word spread like wildfire in the castle, and none of it was good.

"What do you mean he brought her back, isn't that a good thing?" asked Rapunzel tearfully.

"I wish I could say that it was." said the King sadly. "But in cases like this... the soul, the reasoning, is not brought back with the person. They are not the person they were in life."

The Head of Guard stepped forward. "Is my little girl suffering, your majesty?"

King Frederic paused, he hadn't actually ever seen a case of necromancy up close, he had just heard about it once from Quirin. 

"We have no way of knowing for sure."

"Your Majesty, this is one mission that I beg leave of."

"Granted." said Frederic. He couldn't imagine his pain.

The Head of Guard got up and left the throne room.

Eugene felt sick. Sure, he had had the theory first, and he was kind of glad that someone else had said it besides him, but something about the way it happened didn't sit right with him. A friend of the king's had tipped him off? Which friend? And why weren't they announced? Was it someone he and Rapunzel knew? 

"Blondie, this is too strange." said Eugene under his breath.

"Ya think?"

"No... no something... isn't right about this." Finally, he spoke up. "Your Majesty, if I may propose something."

"Yes?"

"Since these guys just got home from war, how about you let my associate, Lance, and I go scope out the situation first?"

The King shook his head. "As Prince Consort, and my son-in-law, I cannot."

Rapunzel grabbed his arm. "Eugene, no..."

Eugene sighed and sat down. "Fine."

"Guards... we will approach at dawn."

" _And when you do, that kid is going to take everybody out with him_." thought Eugene miserably. 

As the royal guards dispersed, Rapunzel noticed the troubled look on her new husband's face.

"Eugene, Varian's dangerous, he tried to kill both my Mom and Cassandra, so it doesn't surprise me that he would..." she winced. "Do something horrible to her."

"I know he's dangerous, but it's not about him, Blondie. It's about Cas. I can't help but feel that her death was too easy... too convenient."

"Do you think he killed her?"

"The kid couldn't hit a wastebasket with a ball of paper. No, but I want to see for myself if she's actually dead."

"But Eugene, you could get hurt, killed--"

"Maybe Eugene Fitzherbert would, but Flynn Rider has proven very hard to kill in the past, hasn't he?" he asked with a debonair smile.

Rapunzel put her hands on her hips. "Eugene..." she warned. "You heard what Dad said!

"I'm just going to check it out, just a little ahead of the guards, that's all. Besides, if there was a chance Cas was alive... wouldn't you rather have her back?"

"Yes." said Rapunzel miserably.

"Let me solve this one last mystery, Blondie."

She hugged him. "Be careful, my love."

"Don't worry." he assured her. "I fully intend on coming home to my loving wife in one piece."

"You better."


	12. The return of Flynn Rider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene and Lance go zombie hunting and find a nest of lovebirds instead. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM A HORRIBLE PERSON AND I RECOGNIZE THIS. XDDD But there needed to be some comic relief so... ;)
> 
> PIC DONE BY @dj-chan over at tumblr!!! :D :D :D They have FANTABULOUS Tangled artwork!! :D

It was in the pre-dawn hours when Eugene and Lance were saddling up. Lance looked rather bedraggled.

"One day, I'm going to come to your chambers and drag you out of your nice warm bed to do something absolutely dastardly, my friend, and when I do, I don't want to hear a word about it. NOT ONE WORD!" cried Lance, causing Max to start.

"You're scaring the horse, Lance." griped Eugene. "And don't worry, I realize I owe you."

"Greatly." added Lance.

"What do you want, for me to name my firstborn after you?"

"Well, come to think of it..."

"But what if I have a firstborn daughter?"

"Lancerina?"

Eugene rolled his eyes. "I'll talk it over with the missus." 

~*~*~*~

"You know... it's a little insulting that the Wizard in the Wizard and the Warrior is evil." commented Varian, after Cassandra had told him about the book in length.

"Oh relax, he's not evil, just misunderstood. At least that's the way I see it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, he had his reasons. Besides... he was the best guy for her. Who else could've stood being with Justine the Warrior Queen?"

"Well, there was the Black Knight."

"That idiot? He wasn't fit to shine her armor." snorted Cassandra. "Besides, the Wizard didn't mind that Justine was dangerous. She would've eaten the Black Knight for lunch. Think about it!"

He chuckled. "You really like the wizard guy."

"What can I say? He was well-written." she sighed. "Besides, he kind of reminds me of someone."

"Oh don't compare me to a wizard." scoffed Varian. "I don't do magic! I'm a man of science."

"I didn't mean that." said Cassandra. "I meant, he wasn't afraid of her."

"Oh..." blushed Varian. "Oh, well in that case... I appreciate the comparison."

"You know, I just realized something..." she pondered. "I've never seen your hands."

"R-Really?"

"Can I?"

Something about this request was so simple, but so _personal_ , it made his heart skip a beat. 

"O-Of course." He made a move to take off his gloves, but she stopped him. "Allow me."

His heart thumped wildly in his chest as she slipped one glove off, then the other. His hands were terribly stained. 

"S-Sorry." he stammered. "It... it doesn't matter how much I wash them, it doesn't go away."

Aside from the stains, his hands were thin, and delicate, but strong, incredibly strong. 

"I don't mind." she smiled. "War wounds n' all."

"Oh, these are hardly what I'd call war--" but he was stopped mid-sentence by a kiss. 

This was her way of accepting him.

"Oh, Cassandra..." he breathed, taking her in his arms.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice the door swing open...

~*~*~*~

"Now Lance, believe me when I say don't corner this kid. If he feels he's cornered, we're as good as dead."

"I was there at the Battle of Old Corona, Eugene. I know what goes down when this kid's angry."

"I'm just saying, sometimes you have a tendency to invade personal space, it makes people feel--"

"I do not!" countered Lance. "Besides, you weren't worried about me invading personal space that time I saved you from the Stabbington Brothers!"

"That was a completely different situation." muttered Eugene. "Now if Shorty's directions were right, it should be right around here somewhere..."

Up ahead, up a narrow, mountainous road, was a tiny cottage with lights on inside.

"There we are." 

As quietly as they could, they made their way up the road, both a bit afraid of what they might find. 

"Did you say Zombies eat brains?" whispered Lance.

"Yeah..."

"Does that mean they go for the face first?"

"You know I never actually--look it doesn't matter, we're not getting that close." hissed Eugene.

"I'm just sayin' man, my face is my currency." said Lance, posing proudly. 

"Like mine isn't? Don't chicken out on me now, Lance! We've made it this far! I just want to take a peek in the windows."

"Alright then..." sighed Lance, peeking into the window, then instantly backing away.

"What?" asked Eugene.

"Uh... I don't think we should interrupt."

"Lance, what is it?"

"Well, the good thing is, don't nobody look dead in there."

"Lance..." warned Eugene.

"Look for yourself." he motioned to the window.

Eugene peered into the window and paled.

"Oh, poor kid, the second she's finished with him she's gonna eat his brain!"

"I dunno Eugene, everybody looked alive and well to me."

"That's what they want you to think." said Eugene, shaking his head. "Poor kid, I can't let him die before he becomes a man."

"I don't think you gotta worry about that, Eugene. Besides, what if we're wrong? What if she's not dead and those two are just.... having a moment?"

Eugene weighed his options. On one hand it would be easy to walk away right now and pretend he'd never seen anything. On the other hand, if Cassandra, on the off-chance, were alive and not reanimated, then he was leaving his wife's best friend at the mercy of guards whose orders were to kill anything slightly unholy. The least he could do, if she was still alive, was warn her.

"Then that makes it worse because the guards think she's dead."

"Oh... oh yeah." grimaced Lance.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but... I'm going in."

"It's your funeral, my friend."

With that, Flynn threw open the door.

~*~*~*~

It was the sudden draft that caught their attention.

Cassandra shrieked, Varian stepped in front of her, shielding her.

"What. the hell. do you want. Rider?" his voice was even, a thinly veiled threat.

"Kid... I think it's time you stepped away from the dead girl."

"What--dead girl?"

"Look, I know she..." Eugene trailed off, grimacing. "I know she looks alive but we all know how you brought her back and that's... that's not--"

"RIDER! I'M RIGHT HERE!" cried Cassandra.

"Cassandra, let me handle this--"

"No, kid, the idiot thinks I'm dead. Let him step forward and see that I'm not!"

Eugene could've cried with relief. 

"Cassandra?" he grinned. He had never been so glad to see an angry viper woman in his entire life.

Cassandra had one hand on her hip, looking peturbed. "Eugene." she said frostily.

"Oh, well see, this is mighty embarrassing..." he hedged. "Because someone tipped off the king that the kid here had gone and made a zombie!"

Cassandra paled. "A-A what?"

"A zombie? But you can't DO that! Not with Alchemy, at least." he reasoned.

"That's not what somebody told the King." said Eugene uncomfortably.

"Who was this somebody?" asked Varian.

"That's the thing, I don't rightly KNOW. The King didn't say anything, just that you'd resurrected Cassandra and that he was afraid you were going to start up your own undead army and come marching for Corona."

Varian cracked up laughing.

"Oh great, we've pushed him over the edge." squeaked Eugene.

"Relax, Rider." snapped Cassandra.

"You're kidding me, right?" asked Varian, wiping a tear from his eye.

"No, no I'm not. The guards are on their way here." he said seriously.

Varian put his hand to his throat. "I'll be hanged."

"Or worse, shot!"

"Not sure which one is worse right now." whimpered Varian. "I-I didn't... she's not though!"

"I know that, and you know that, but we're gonna have to convince the king of that."

"I'll convince the King, we have to get out of here!" said Cassandra.

Varian gave her an imploring look. 

"Cas, look... go back with them. I'll... make it out somehow."

"No, Varian, I'm not leaving you here!"

"Cassandra, you can't walk right now, your best bet would be to go back with them to the palace. M-Maybe you can convince the King."

"I said no." she said firmly.

"Eugene, they're here!" cried Lance, poking his head in the open door.

"Great, there's no time--"

"HALT IN THE NAME OF THE KING!"

Varian grabbed some vials off the table. "STAND BACK!" he snarled, once again shielding Cassandra. "Or I'll blow this place to hell!"

" _STAND BACK! Or I'll blow this place to hell_!"

"Now kid, some of us have families to go back to--" Eugene reasoned. 

"RUB IT IN WHY DON'T YOU?!" Varian was angry, but most of all he was afraid. He had failed Cassandra, failed to protect her and now they were going to possibly injure her more.

"YOU IDIOTS STAND DOWN!" she cried from the bed. "I'm not dead, in fact I'm still your Lord Commandress!"

The guards were confused, they didn't know what to make of this. On one hand, they had orders from the King, on the other, on the bed lay their Lord Commandress, what looked to be alive and well! 

"Don't be fooled!" cried a voice from the back, a hooded figure stepped forward. "Necromancers make clever puppets."

"Who the hell are you?!" demanded Varian, he had never seen this being before in his life.

The figure lifted its hood to reveal a crown made out of stag horns and flowers. "I am Oberon, King of this Realm, and you have committed a crime against Nature itself."

"You're not king of any realm _I_ serve!" spat Varian.

Eugene stood there, his mouth gaping. This whole situation was making his stomach churn.

"And yet you've lived here with my subjects for almost five years." Oberon circled him, as a dog would prey. "I've done you a favor and allowed you to be brought to justice in your own land. The kind of justice the Magic Folk deal out, you wouldn't be able to handle as a mere mortal."

"I'm not kidding when I said I'll blow this place to hell." growled Varian. "And you'll go with it!"

"Do you think I can be killed that easily, boy?"

"Let's find OUT--"

The guards rushed forward and grabbed Varian before he could toss the vials at Oberon.

"I SAID STAND DOWN!" cried Cassandra.

"Sorry Lord Commandress, we got orders!" apologized Pete. 

"Don't HURT her!" cried Varian as they struggled to subdue him. "Eugene!"

"I'll get her, kid!" Eugene scooped up Cassandra and made a break for it.

"VARIAN!" she screamed.

"Cas, I'll--AUGH!" one of the guards had kicked him in the ribs, it was followed by a sickening crack and a warm, rushing sensation, suddenly his body was wracked with pain.

"Get up, kid!"

He tried, but he found it difficult to breathe. The world went fuzzy and everything slowly faded to black.


	13. Quite the debacle.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian is pretty selfless up until the very end... and then he's very drunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian's smart, so without liquid courage I don't think he would've smarted off to Frederic so badly.

It didn't take long to get back to the castle at the speed Maximus was running.

Cassandra was screaming obscenities at the guards still, and Eugene was trying to hold both himself and a flailing Cassandra onto the horse.

"Calm down and stop wiggling!" he cried.

"HE'S INNOCENT!" she screamed.

"You can tell me all about it when we get back to the castle!" said Eugene through gritted teeth as they coarsed down the road towards the castle.

"Will he still be alive by then?!"

"The guards can't kill him, he hasn't been sentenced yet."

_Yet_. Cassandra hated that word right now. She hoped the King would listen to her.

" _Please be alright_..." she prayed silently.

~*~*~*~

When Varian awoke, he was in stocks.

"Great..."

It hurt to take more than a shallow breath at a time, but at least he wasn't being forced to move. He realized he didn't have his gloves anymore and that his hands were cold.

" _At least I'll be dead soon so I won't have the chance to get frostbite_." he thought miserably, noting how cold the dungeons were. He suddenly remembered Cassandra and his heart ached, he hoped she was alright. He hoped they wouldn't question the fact that she was still Cassandra, soul-intact. Maybe things would fare better for her, after all, she was a Lady of the Court. 

Suddenly he remembered her arm... and her ankle.

"J-Jailer!" he cried, rattling the stocks.

"What is it, kid?" the Jailer was right there, but due to his position he wasn't able to see.

"I-I need to speak with the royal physician, p-please."

"Alright, kid."

The royal physician took his own sweet time, of course, each breath was becoming more and more labored for Varian. " _It'd be funny if I died before they got to execute me_." he thought, desperately wishing he could laugh. " _At least it'd be less humiliating that way_."

Finally, the royal physician appeared. "What is it you need, boy?"

"I... I need to speak with you... a-about Lady Cassandra."

"I figured as much." The physician sat down across from him, looking at him expectantly.

"She... She has a burn on her arm... left shoulder. It needs to be dressed daily. Also her right ankle... it was broken in the fall. It.. it needs to be looked after."

"And...?"

"That's... that's all." 

"That's the only thing you want to tell me about Lady Cassandra?"

Varian's eyes narrowed. "The soul never left her body, if that's what you're after. I found her injured, I saved her, I _never_ harmed her and I _never_ would."

"Very well." The physician was on his way out when another figure came barreling in, it was a LIVID head of Guard.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" he cried. 

"NOTHING!"

"Unlock him, I want a clear shot at this little pansy." growled the Head of Guard. 

Varian desperately wished he had his gloves, his stained hands weren't really adding to his credibility.

"What are these stains, kid?"

"Th-Those are from experiments." he sputtered. 

"On my little girl?"

The quiet way the Captain said it made Varian's throat go dry.

"No. I _never_ experimented on Cassandra, I _never_ would." he said desperately. "I found her at the bottom of Mount Saison, injured. I saved her, a-and she wanted to come home, but--"

"But you kept her prisoner?"

"NO!" his sharp cry caused a sudden pain in his side that took his breath away.

"Then what the hell happened back there?"

"S-She has a broken ankle, s-she couldn't... make it back up the mountain..." he wheezed. "Talk to her... she... she wants to see you." he implored.

Something about the Captain seemed to soften.

"If I find out that what you brought back isn't 100% my little girl, there's not gonna be an execution good enough for you, kid."

Varian didn't respond. He couldn't. He couldn't breathe anymore.

"H-Help me...!" was his final cry before losing consciousness once more.

~*~*~*~

Eugene carried Cassandra, kicking and screaming, all the way to the throne room.

"Cas, threatening to kill me isn't helping to convince anybody you're not a member of the undead." he cautioned.

"How did THAT rumor get started?! I want to know!" she demanded. 

"Ask the King." said Eugene, plopping her in a chair in the Throne Room.

"Now what?!"

"We wait for his Majesty." sighed Eugene, starting to pace.

"Rider, how did you know where I was?"

"Shorty said he'd seen you."

"When did Shorty ever go there?"

"Milking accident. He got a bucket stuck on his head."

"So that's who that was..." she rolled her eyes. 

"What happened, Cassandra?"

"I was hit with a flaming arrow, what do you think happened?"

"From the side we were fighting?" asked Eugene.

She shook her head. "No... their archers didn't have any flaming arrows. This was a lone wolf."

"But who would attack Coronian forces?"

"Good question." said Cassandra. 

"Cas?" Rapunzel had appeared at the other end of the throne room.

"Raps?"

Rapunzel ran toward her friend and hugged her, sobbing with relief.

"Raps--ow--let go, please."

Rapunzel stepped back, gazing at the large bandage on her arm. "Oh, Cas, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, you didn't know." Cassandra smiled through the pain.

Suddenly the Head of Guard appeared, he warily approached Cassandra, not knowing what to expect.

"Hey Dad..." she said softly.

He stared at her for a full minute before smiling. "Welcome home, soldier."

Without a doubt, he knew his little girl was home.

~*~*~*~

"I told you not to damage him!" thundered Frederic as he made his way to Varian's cell.

"He almost attacked Oberon, your highness."

"You don't serve Oberon, you serve me!" growled Frederic, standing over Varian. They had moved him out of the stocks, now he was lying on the prison bunk on his right side.

"He has a broken rib and some internal bleeding." said the Royal Physician. "If you need me, send word. I have to go tend to Lady Cassandra now."

"Tell me if there is anything _unholy_ about her." said the King, in hushed tones.

"I will, your Majesty."

"Varian?"

The boy in front of him looked at him with bleary eyes. "Y-Your Majesty..."

"You do realize what you did goes against--"

"I didn't do anything." maintained Varian. "I saved Lady Cassandra, the soul n-never left her body."

"Varian, she fell off of Mount Saison--"

"In armor." Varian corrected. "If she hadn't had armor, she would have probably died."

"Oberon doesn't tell lies, Varian."

"Oberon is somebody you'd be crazy to trust." panted Varian. "The soul never left her body, necromancy doesn't exist in the laws of Alchemy. Ask my Dad. Oh that's right, you can't, can you?" he directed a pointed glare at the King.

"You will pay for your crimes, Varian."

"Good. Then you can finally sweep this whole matter under the rug like you always wanted." spat Varian bitterly.

"You're wrong, Varian."

"No, I'm not." Varian's rage was spilling over. "My Dad used to tell me all about 'White Flag Freddie'."

Frederic hadn't actually heard that nickname since he was a boy.

"You do realize you're speaking to your king."

"The only reason you're king is because your brother George died in battle." spat Varian. "And he could've been saved had you taken what was Corona's to begin with!"

Frederic's eyes narrowed.

"I only took what belonged to Corona, and I used it to save our Lord Commandress. If I die, I'll die knowing I did the right thing. But you?" Varian gave a painful, short laugh. "You're going to be awake for a long time, your Majesty."

"Very well. Your sentence will be handed down tomorrow." said Frederic darkly.

"Put some streamers on the gallows, would you? I'd like for my going away party to be... festive." he finished woozily, collapsing.

On the way out, Frederic observed a bottle sitting near the door, he picked it up and sniffed it, most of it was gone.

"I have _got_ to start telling the Royal Physician to stop using 40 proof."


	14. The proof is in the potion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is rotten in Corona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't leave this chapter on a totally sad, dramatic note ;)

"What do you MEAN I have to prove the soul never left my body?!" cried Cassandra. "How do you even do that?!" 

Everyone had to admit, that was a stumper.

"The Clergy will instruct you on that." said Arianna. 

Eugene squirmed uneasily. " _I am so glad no one ever questioned that when it came to me_."

"This is awful... you know its me, right?" asked Cassandra, trying her best not to cry.

"We just want to make sure." said Arianna gently.

" _I know it's you._ " mouthed Rapunzel.

"What if the test fails and they think I'm not right?"

"The test won't fail." said the Captain. "It can't."

The one thing she had learned in her time with Varian, is that tests can always fail, and always be wrong. 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." hedged Arianna.

But Cassandra knew what it meant. If it was determined she was an unholy abomination, then there was a chance she could be executed.

"Can I take my leave, your Majesty?" her voice shook dangerously.

"Yes, yes you may."

Rapunzel and Eugene took it upon themselves to help Cassandra to her room.

"Eugene... could you, give us a minute?" asked Rapunzel.

"Sure, Blondie, I'll be right down the hall if you need me."

It was only when he left the room did Cassandra start crying.

"Oh, Cas..." Rapunzel hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it back in time for your wedding, Raps."

"You were hurt, Cas, it's okay."

"I really wanted to be there."

"I know you did, my Aunt Willow was my Maid of Honor."

Cas smiled, then pondered. "Willow hasn't gotten hitched yet?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "No, she said she has yet to find someone 'worth' it."

Cassandra nodded. "I hear that."

"Was Varian... good to you?" asked Rapunzel, trying not to feel betrayed.

Cassandra sighed. "I know you hate him, Raps, and he knows it too. He gets it."

"I don't hate him but I don't like what he did."

Cassandra nodded. "He's changed, Raps. He was... really good to me."

Rapunzel blinked, watching her friend closely.

"He saved me, made sure my arm was healing, he even tried to get me back in time for your wedding but that's when we discovered that my ankle was broken." she gave a short laugh. "I guess it's okay though because he'd have been shot on sight."

Suddenly, Cassandra was crying again.

"Shot on sight? What do you mean?"

"He was warned not to come back to Corona because the guards were under orders to shoot him on sight. I guess there was a meeting I missed."

"There was several meetings I missed, then." said Rapunzel, "Because I don't remember Dad ever giving that decree."

Cassandra blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah... after what happened in the Battle of Old Corona, Dad would've told me about something like that."

Cassandra blinked. Could Varian have been lying? Somehow she doubted that was likely.

"This isn't right, Raps." said Cassandra.

Rapunzel shook her head in agreement. "No... it's not. I'll ask Dad about it."

"Don't bother your Dad..." sighed Cassandra. "We both know how he is when he makes his mind up about something."

"Dad can be reasonable." Rapunzel pointed out. 

Cassandra sighed. "Probably not about this kind of thing, Raps."

"What kind of thing?"

"Varian and I... we..." suddenly Cassandra clammed up. She couldn't explain what was going on between them to her best friend. Rapunzel wouldn't understand. "Nevermind, forget it."

Suddenly the Royal Physician trundled in. "Excuse me, Lady Cassandra, but I was informed about your arm."

Cassandra suddenly became self-conscious. "I-It's fine, we can dress it later."

"I would like to examine it, please. The... prisoner... was telling me about its condition."

"Raps... unless you want to see something really horrible, I'd suggest you get out now."

"It's alright, Cas. I want to stay with you."

Cassandra swallowed whatever pride she had while the Physician unwound the bandage.

"This wound is healing nicely..." he observed. "And no sign of infection. Amazing, since it was a burn."

"Yeah... I had really good help." said Cassandra, her voice husky.

Rapunzel let out a gasp at how painful the wound looked.

"I told you..." muttered Cassandra, her eyes welling up. She hated the way the Royal Physician was dressing this wound, it made it hurt. Varian made sure it never hurt when he dressed it. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks, she hated herself for it.

"It's okay." Rapunzel grabbed her friends good hand and held it.

"H-How is he?" asked Cassandra, at length, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice. "If I may."

"He has a broken rib and some internal bleeding, but all things considered, not bad for someone on death row."

Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut. "Are we almost done?" she asked. 

"Yes, I just have to finish wrapping the wound."

"Alright." Cassandra did nothing to hide the tears streaming down her face, she couldn't. 

Finally the physician left.

"Cassandra, are you okay?"

"N-No..."

The way her voice broke let Rapunzel know there was something greater that she wasn't telling her.

"Cas, what is it?"

"You'd hate me." said Cassandra brokenly.

"No, never! I promise! Please tell me." Rapunzel begged, taking her friend's hand.

Cas bit her lip. "You know how it feels when you find that one person that you can be 100% yourself around? All the time?"

Rapunzel did indeed know. "I... married him a few weeks ago."

"Well, mine probably dies tomorrow."

"Oh, Cas..." Rapunzel embraced her friend as she sobbed.

Rapunzel didn't claim to _understand_ the reasoning behind her friend's newfound love, but she could hardly be one to judge. After all, she had fallen in love with the notorious thief, Flynn Rider. and just happened to find the Knight in Shining Armor, Eugene Fitzherbert, hiding underneath. Maybe there was still good in Varian, after all, he did save her best friend.

"Cas, if we can fix this, I promise we will." said Rapunzel seriously. "If he's really innocent, then I'll get my Dad to listen."

"Could you do me a favor, Raps?"

"Certainly."

"C-Can I see him, one last time?" she hiccuped.

"I'll have Eugene take you down."

"And Raps?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell my Dad."

~*~*~*~

"This is not how I wanted to spend my night." griped Eugene. "But... here we are."

"Don't worry Rider, it's the last time I'll ever be asking this kind of favor." said Cassandra.

Eugene felt bad. Indeed it would.

"I know, Cas." he said softly. 

She was positioned in a chair in front of Varian's cell, he was slumped over on the bench.

"Varian?"

"Cas?" he whispered horsely, gazing up at her hopefully. A gaze that broke her heart. 

Eugene nudged the jailer. "If you don't mind, since the kid is already shackled and can't run, could you just allow me to take her in? There's something in it for you." he offered a small bag of gold. 

"No need, I'll do it as a favor to the Prince Consort." said the jailer, opening the door.

"Hey, thanks, man!" Eugene slapped him on the back, causing the jailer to scowl. "Oh, sorry, personal space." he apologized as he took Cassandra inside and set her on the bench beside Varian.

"I'll be right outside, Cas, just let me know when you want to leave." said Eugene earnestly.

"Thanks, Eugene." whispered Varian. 

"You're welcome, kid."

Quickly, she grasped his hand. "There's a chance I can get this fixed, Varian."

He shook his head. "No there isn't."

"I talked to Raps, she said she would talk to her Dad--"

Varian barked out a laugh that quickly turned into a cough. She noticed that he smelled faintly of battlefield rum.

"I already did." he wheezed. "He's not budging."

"How do you know? Varian, what did you say?"

"Called him 'White Flag Freddie'... I don't think he liked it too much."

"Varian WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" she cried.

"Cuz he didn't believe me." he slurred. "Cas, you said the rum on the battlefield makes you stop caring and start singing... when does the singing start? Cuz I still care and I'm kinda dizzy."

"How much rum did you have?"

"Oh... almost the entire bottle over there." He began coughing again.

"If it's any consolation, my arm hurts... the Royal Quack re-dressed it."

The thought of her in pain sobered him up rather quickly.

"Oh, Cassandra... I'm sorry."

He wished that there was some way he could make her pain vanish one final time.

"You know, there's a chance I may not make it past tomorrow either." said Cassandra sadly. "They want to test me to see if the soul ever left my body. If... if they determine I'm not right..."

She began to cry.

The thought that they would do something so barbaric for simply surviving made Varian angry, but as much as he wanted to rant and rave, he couldn't. She was already scared to death, she didn't need him coming unhinged right now.

"My Mom always used to say..." he began. "That when we died, we stepped into the light. I... I don't know how true that is... nothing's ever been proven... but if I get there before you... I'll wait, milady."

"You promise?" she asked tearfully.

"No matter how long it takes."

She buried her face in his shoulder and cried.

Eugene couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

" _I never knew you were the 'die-at-the-gallows'-to-prove-a-point' type, kid_."

Suddenly, Cassandra thought of something.

"Varian, where's the elixir?"

"It..." he patted himself down. "It was in my gloves. There's a pocket in my gloves."

Cassandra reached into the stays of her corset, inside there was a little glass vial full of a glowing, crystal colored liquid.

"Varian, I can heal you--"

"No, Cas, that's for my Dad. T-Take it to him."

"But Varian, you're hurt."

"I know, but... I have to make sure that there's enough for my Dad..." 

"But Varian, you wanted to--"

"I know I did... but I won't get to now... I trust you. He'd... understand."

Cas turned away, sniffling.

"Promise me, Cas." he wheezed.

Suddenly she turned and kissed him fiercely, Varian was too out of breath and blind-sided to fight her, it was one last moment, how could he deny her that? She then drew away, and kissed his forehead. 

"I'm getting you out of here."

"Wait, wha--" 

"RIDER! I'M READY!"

Eugene rushed in and scooped her up.

"So long, kid."

Suddenly Varian realized he could breathe again, that had either been one hell of a kiss, or...

"Wait, Cassandra--"

"Relax, it was just a drop!"

"I TOLD YOU--!"

"ON IT!" she cried as Eugene scooped her up.

"HEY!" he cried angrily.

"Don't worry kid, the singing'll start soon!" she winked as his cell door was shut.

He couldn't believe it, she had used one drop of the potion in the kiss to heal him.

"YOU CRAFTY LITTLE MINX!" he yelled. "I'M GONNA REMEMBER THIS!"

"I LOOK FORWARD TO IT!"

Suddenly Varian began to feel the full effects of the potion... and the rum.

"Oh for crying out loud..."

~*~*~*~


	15. Enemies revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see who Corona's real enemy is, and everyone gets a happy ending! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so grateful for all my readers who took this fun little journey with me. :D :D :D It was fun to write and hey who knows, I may write more in the future. ^_^ I couldn't let them NOT get their happy ending after all that lol. ;D

Rapunzel had been searching for written decrees from the King, she had traveled after the Battle of Old Corona, so there was probably a few things she had missed. 

"Looking for something?" asked a voice, she looked up to find her Dad wearily peering in on her.

"Dad, did you give orders for Varian to be shot on sight if he re-entered Corona?"

Frederic blinked in bewilderment.

"No... why would you think that?"

"Cas told me that's what he told her."

"I never gave those orders."

Rapunzel put her hands on her hips.

"Oh really? Well, then what is this?" she held up the scroll. A signed order.

Frederic rubbed his hand across the signature, suddenly it glowed green.

"This is signed in fairy ink, I don't use fairy ink. There's none of it in the castle."

"But who would forge your signature?"

"Someone with access to fairy ink." said Frederic angrily. He thought about Varian's words, but in the end, they were just that... words. He had always prided himself on never wasting life unneccessarily, and if Rapunzel was right, then he had more than paid his debt by saving the Lord Commandress of Corona's army. Also, Quirin had been a personal friend of his and there had been times when they had called each other much worse.

"Dad... Varian saved Cassandra, he can't die tomorrow."

"We still have to see if what he brought back is actually Cassandra."

"I KNOW my best friend, Dad! Besides, didn't you say that if someone's reanimated, their consciousness doesn't return with them? Cas was plenty conscious to me!"

Rapunzel had a point.

"We're still doing the test."

"And I'm certain she'll pass." Rapunzel crossed her arm. "Dad, we're not executing my best friend. If you do, I'll abdicate."

"The only one who could've helped me solve this is Quirin." said Frederic sadly. "And unfortunately, he's not..."

"There may be a way we can get him out." said a voice, it was Cassandra, Eugene had just walked in with her on his shoulders.

"Then, Rapunzel, as future Queen, I'll ask you.. what would you do?"

~*~*~*~

Later, they were standing outside Quirin's house in old Corona. 

"Can't say this is how I wanted to spend my night." griped Eugene as he picked the lock on the door.

"Eugene..." warned Rapunzel gently. "Remember why we're doing this."

"I know, I know." he sighed as the door swung open. "Here we go."

With some lingering effects of the potion, Cassandra could limp now. She went over to the living statue that was Quirin.

"This has to work, please let this work..." she begged whatever fates were listening as she dropped the potion onto the amber.

At first, there seemed to be no change.

"Well, you tried..." said Rapunzel "Don't worry, Cas, we'll find--"

Suddenly, there was some tiny cracking noises.

"It's working!"

She dashed the rest of the potion onto the amber, watching it shatter and melt. Quirin gasped for breath.

"Quirin!" cried Rapunzel.

"Varian!" he roared. "Varian wh--" he blinked, looking around. "Where is he? Why are you three here? Did he get lost in the storm?"

"We'll fill ya in on the way to the castle." said Eugene, ushering them all outside. "Come on, come on, step right up, into the wagon!"

"He's right." said Rapunzel. "Do you know anything about Fairy ink?"

"F-Fairy ink... yes."

"How would it have gotten in the castle?"

"Excellent question."

Suddenly, Cassandra spotted a pendant hanging near the door. "What's that?"

"The Holy Light of Corona, Varian's Mother used to wear it. She said no evil could touch it. It gave her great comfort." said Quirin sadly.

"It's really beautiful..." observed Cassandra, making sure Quirin was safely out the door before swiping it off the wall and putting it in the stays of her corset.

~*~*~*~

Four years was a lot to process for Quirin.

"I missed a lot."

"You did, my friend." said Frederic, looking down. 

"Where's my son?"

"He's in the dungeon, he was accused of necromancy by Oberon."

"Necromancy?! But that doesn't even exist within the laws of Alchemy!"

"So I've heard... but there is no other explanation for how Lady Cassandra survived her fall."

"How on earth do you think I got out of the amber?"

"I was working on a solution to that, I promise--"

"Think about it. What was promised to Corona after the Battle of Lune?"

Frederic shook his head.

"Oh come on, you remember don't you? You said Oberon looked like a goat who'd been eating your Mother's shrubs?"

"No, but that's what George told me later."

Quirin thought for a second, Frederic was right. He wasn't at the signing of the Lune treaty, George was.

"And it seems Oberon fancies stag antlers now."

"Wait a minute, stag antlers?" asked Quirin. "That's not Oberon!"

"It.. isn't?"

"No, that's his brother, Merowech! And Corona was promised twelve moonflowers, they're the counterpart to the sundrop, more plentiful but half as powerful. They grow on the other side of Mount Saison near the Hall of Prisms." Quirin informed him. "Oberon was fine with giving us the Moonflowers, but Merowech wasn't."

The King hung his head. "Quirin... I've made a grave mistake."

~*~*~*~

When Varian awoke, his head pounded.

"D-Did... Did I... sing... last night?" he asked no one in particular. 

"Yeah, you were great!" said a voice from the stocks, it was Shorty. 

"At least when I'm dead I won't have this headache anymore." he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Awww, and here I was hoping you'd come by the Snuggly Duckling and sing 99 bottles with us!"

"Maybe in another lifetime..."

He paused for a second.. in a few hours, his life would be over. He wondered if there was anything after. Of course, he just had what his Mother believed to go on. His Dad never subscribed to any sort of belief, claiming to be a man of science. He had heard theories about what happened afterwards, some even thought you were recycled... which only sort of made sense.

Then he remembered what Cassandra had said the night before.

" _I'm getting you out of here_."

" _My love, what have you done_?" he thought frantically, wishing he could just go home and go to bed.

~*~*~*~

"Are you sure Ober--I mean, Merowech--will show up?" asked Rapunzel.

"Oberon? Probably not, he doesn't like public executions, but Merowech? Yes." said Quirin. 

"Just so we're clear, no one's actually getting executed, right?" asked Cassandra.

The King shook his head. "No, not now they aren't."

"Okay." 

"Are we going to inform the kid of this or is it gonna be like a surprise party?" asked Eugene. 

"He can't know anything yet." said the King. 

"So it's a surprise party, I get it." said Eugene. 

Cassandra couldn't help it, she snorted. 

"Surprise, you get to live!" cracked Rapunzel.

Cassandra burst out laughing.

Rapunzel smiled, it was good to see her laugh.

"Thank you, for sparing him, your Majesty." said Quirin.

"You're welcome, Quirin." said Frederic. "Now that the plan is in place, let's get started."

~*~*~*~

Varian noticed that the head of Guard looked awfully happy to be leading him to his death. 

" _I guess I can't blame him_." he thought, realizing that maybe it was better that he died. Cassandra's Father would never have to know about how close they would become. If he ever knew, the gallows would be the last of his worries.

As they entered the courtyard he blinked painfully, the bright sunlight hurt his eyes. He could faintly make out the royal family, of course they were there, they'd want to see him hang. Next to them was Oberon, that snake. 

There were several figures hanging back in the shadows, but he couldn't tell who they were. Oh well, it wouldn't matter in a few minutes anyway.

"Any last words, kid?"

Varian glared up at the guard, before giving a short laugh.

"I did nothing wrong. I'd do it all again. Lady Cassandra is alive because of me, I regret nothing."

Suddenly, Oberon stood up.

"If I may, your highness," he began. "Since the lad believes he did nothing wrong, I do believe it's wrong to have him suffer at the gallows. I know of a much quicker way to end his suffering."

"What is that?" asked Frederic.

With a quick hand gesture, 'Oberon' drew a bow with a flaming arrow out of seemingly thin air.

Varian gasped.

"STOP!" cried a voice, it was Cassandra. 

" _Oh, no, save yourself Cassandra_!" he thought miserably, looking over at her.

"That's the same kind of arrow that almost killed me!" she cried.

Indeed it was. Just what was going on here?

"That girl is an unholy puppet! He's still controlling her!"

Cassandra reached into her corset and pulled out a pendant, his Mother's own Holy Light of Corona.

"Could an unholy puppet wear THIS?!"

It was all the proof they needed.

"Varian," announced the King. "You are hereby exonerated."

Varian fell to his knees in shock.

"As for YOU, Merowech." the King drew his sword and cut the flaming arrow in half. "YOU are under arrest for high treason to the Coronian Crown!"

The guards came and took a screaming Merowech away. 

Suddenly, Varian felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Son?"

"DAD?!"

He looked up, fully expecting to see his Father scowling at him, but instead was relieved to see him smiling kindly at him.

"You've made me proud, son."

For the first time, in a long while, Varian was able to embrace his Dad.

~*~*~*~

That night, under the stars, Cassandra awaited a visitor.

"Evening, milady." 

"Hey there." she said softly, getting to her feet.

"Your ankle is better!" he grinned. "Does it hurt?"

"Still a little wobbly, but at least I can stand now."

"How did you...?"

"The order to have you shot on sight was signed in Fairy Ink, the King had never even seen it before."

He blinked. "But why?"

Cassandra shrugged. "They think Merowech's been plotting against the crown for awhile, he spotted a chink in the armor and he took a chance. The real Oberon is still missing."

"But why me, specifically?"

"You were the only Coronian living in his jurisdiction." said Cassandra. "He used that."

"Wow, you think your safe."

"You are now." she stroked his cheek.

"Thanks to you, my warrior."

"I never told you how that book ended, did I?"

"No."

"He was about to be burnt at the stake and she came in and saved him with the sacred sword. I couldn't come in with a sword, but..."

"You did the next best thing." 

"I couldn't let you die."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the clearing of someone's throat. It was the Guard Captain, he was standing there with his arms crossed.

"And here I thought I'd escaped the death penalty..." faltered Varian.

"Hey Dad." smiled Cassandra, though her smile was a bit strained.

"Maximus here needs some exercise... normally, Rider does it but he's occupied and I got Merowech detail. So..."

Cassandra looked at Varian. 

"Oh.. uh, I'll help." he volunteered cheerfully, going over and taking Max's bridle.

"Have her back before midnight or I'll be using you as target practice, kid--" came the low growl under the Captain's voice.

"DAD!" cried Cassandra. "We can take it from here."

The Captain gave him one final glare before taking his leave.

"Does he do this to everyone?"

"I don't know, you're the first he's trusted."

"That's... trust?"

"He didn't chase you around with a broadsword, did he?" she laughed.

"No."

"Then yeah, that's trust."

"I'll never get used to that." he chuckled, picking her up and setting her on Max's back before climbing up with her.

"Ready, milady?"

"Ready."

With a flick of the reins, they raced off into the night.

T H E E N D

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [An Acquired Taste](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14698194) by [Kai517_TeenWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai517_TeenWriter/pseuds/Kai517_TeenWriter)
  * [Sudden Impact](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16870561) by [Kai517_TeenWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai517_TeenWriter/pseuds/Kai517_TeenWriter)




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